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CORTIS — BIGHIT Music’s newest breakout and the first K-pop act ever slated to perform at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game halftime show at Kia Forum — attended their first-ever Los Angeles Lakers game on Thursday night at Crypto.com arena.

Before tipoff, the five-member group — Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho — toured the Lakers UCLA Health Training Center, walking the same halls as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Luka Dončić. They were gifted custom Lakers jerseys, stitched in purple and gold, and wore them proudly courtside when they were displayed on the videoboard at half-court in the third quarter. 

K-Pop band Cortis is at the Lakers game tonight. They’ll be performing during the NBA All-Star weekend pic.twitter.com/pIy3fNj4xn

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) February 13, 2026

“You can really feel the energy,” James said, leaning into the roar. “It’s electric and really captivating. As fans, it’s incredibly inspiring for us. I think we’ll take a piece of that energy with us, and that inspiration and memory will stay with us for a long time.”

Keonho, who grew up watching games on a screen half a world away, called the moment surreal. “I’ve watched a lot of basketball games on screen… Now that we’re here in LA as ‘Friends of the NBA,’ being able to experience everything in person is really exciting.”

The NBA has long understood the global language of rhythm and sport, building bridges with artists like SUGA and expanding its “Friends of the NBA” initiative. But CORTIS represents something different — a generation that doesn’t wait for permission to cross markets. Their debut album, Color Outside the Lines, cracked the Billboard 200 at No. 15. Their single “GO!” landed on NBA 2K26’s official soundtrack. Their fanbase swelled past 19 million followers in just a couple months.

Earlier Thursday, they headlined NBA Crossover at the Los Angeles Convention Center, just blocks away. Friday night, they’ll make history at the Ruffles Celebrity Game halftime show — the first K-pop act to do so — stepping onto a stage traditionally reserved for American pop royalty.

For Martin, the Lakers’ legacy hit deeper than spectacle. “Seeing how the Lakers have continued their legacy for so many years, with new rookies, new players, new challenges, really inspired us,” he said. “Since we’re still rookies too, it made me think about how we should grow steadily and carry forward our own legacy one day.”

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CORTIS, just months removed from their August 2025 debut, are still in their infancy as a group, but one day they aspire to be like the 17-time NBA Champion Lakers. 

When CORTIS was shown on the video board, fans immediately reacted. Many in attendance stood and cheered. It wasn’t just a celebrity sighting. It was a cultural crossover – basketball’s best welcoming pop’s next frontier. As the Lakers went on to defeat the Mavericks 124-104, five rookies from South Korea in custom jerseys stood, clapped, and quietly studied how to build a dynasty of their own.

Following their performance at NBA Crossover, CORTIS came across the street to MAVS/LAKERS! pic.twitter.com/avwBA0HtvE

— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2026

At the intersection of futility and ethical tanking, there you’ll find the 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks (19-35).

The Mavericks dropped their ninth straight loss on Thursday, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers (33-21) at Crypto.com Arena, 124-104. Dallas’ nine-game losing streak is now the franchise’s longest since the Mavs dropped 14 straight in the 1998-99 season. With the All-Star Break immediately following Thursday night’s game, the Mavericks have a real chance to lose every game for a full calendar month, as their schedule resumes on Feb. 20 at the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dallas last won a game on Jan. 22 in a 123-115 decision over the Golden State Warriors within the friendly confines of American Airlines Center.

Naji Marshall (foot) and Daniel Gafford (ankle) went down late in Thursday’s game and did not return, starting their All-Star Break a little early. Marshall and Max Christie led the Mavericks with 19 points apiece in the loss.

12-2: Dueling runs to open the game

The Lakers embarked on an early 12-2 run after P.J. Washington hit a floater in the lane to tie the game at 2-2. LeBron James scored eight of the Lakers’ 12 points during the run, including a 29-foot 3-pointer from the left wing that forced the Mavericks into their first timeout of the game, trailing 14-4 just 3:10 into the game.

Dallas responded with a 12-2 run of its own after the early timeout. After turning the ball over twice to fuel the Lakers’ run, Naji Marshall stopped the bleeding with a reverse layup through the teeth of the LA defense to make it 14-6. Two minutes later, he stole the ball from Jake LaRavia and found new teammate Khris Middleton trailing the break, wide open at the top of the key for a 3-pointer to tie the game at 16-16 with 6:50 left in the first.

The Mavs and the Lakers played a fast-paced last half of the first quarter despite both teams employing a zone defense in the halfcourt and without the best players on each roster on the floor. Los Angeles took a 36-31 lead after one, behind 14 points and six assists from James.

11-0, then 12-0: Dueling second-quarter runs

The Lakers were clinging to a one-point lead midway through the second when LaRavia and Marcus Smart sparked an 11-0 LA run, extending the lead to 55-43 with 5:15 remaining before the break. James found Smart for a cutting layup, resulting in James’ eighth assist of the game to start the run. LaRavia scored the next five before Smart dished a couple of assists of his own to keep the run going. Despite his effectiveness during the second-quarter run, Smart started the game shooting just 3-of-12 from the field and 0-of-7 from 3-point range.

LaRavia scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting in the second after drawing the start in Luka Dončić’s absence (hamstring) and going scoreless in the first quarter.

Then, right on queue once more, the scrappy, short-handed Mavs responded with a 12-0 run to end the first half. Marshall was the architect once more. He scored seven points during the run and assisted on two more buckets to bring Dallas to within 64-63 at the break.

Marshall led the Mavs with 16 points, four dimes and two steals at halftime, while James turned back the hands of time on the other end of the floor to lead the Lakers with 18 points and eight assists in the first half. After turning the ball over five times in the first quarter, the Mavericks gave it away just twice in the second to help them claw their way back in it.

The Lakers’ scoreless stretch lasted 4:16 of game time, from the end of the second quarter through the first minute and change of the third.

19: Mavericks’ third-quarter points

Dallas couldn’t find a bucket after briefly taking the lead early in the third quarter, though. The Mavs shot just 5-of-13 from the field in the last 8:40 of the third and got trucked, 26-11, the rest of the way. The Lakers took a 96-82 lead into the fourth quarter, as the unsung four-headed monster of Luke Kennard, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes combined for 21 of LA’s 32 points in the third.

After scrapping hard to keep up with the short-handed Lakers, the Mavericks were all out of juice in the third. They once again turned the ball over five times in the frame.

55.8%: Lakers’ shooting from the field

The Mavericks just couldn’t get stops against a Lakers’ squad missing its most talented scorer. That was the bottom line on Thursday. The Mavs are driving the most ethical tank in the NBA right now. Even if they wanted to win, they just can’t. They are unable to field a winning basketball team. You almost know the result before the game tips off.

The Lakers shot 13-of-21 (61.3%) from the field in the fourth quarter to coast to the easy win and usher in the All-Star Break.

28/12/10: LeBron James’ first triple-double of 2025-26

James may have scored just 12 points in the final three quarters, but his 28 points, 12 assists and 10 boards gave him his first triple-double of the 2025-26 season, his 23rd in the NBA. Just remarkable. It was his 123rd career triple-double and the third of his career against the Mavericks. He stayed in the game a little longer than he otherwise might have and grabbed his 10th rebound of the game with 1:26 to play.

“It’s pretty cool to be able to still play at this level,” James said in his televised postgame interview.

The Dallas Mavericks took on the Los Angeles Lakers in their last game before breaking for All-Star weekend. Both teams were missing star players (Cooper Flagg and Luka Doncic), but it was the Lakers who served up the Mavs a 124-104 loss.

Let’s get to the grades!

Brandon Williams: B+

17 PTS / 5 REB / 7 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN

Williams’ game somehow felt quiet despite a well-balanced output and solid shooting (6-for-11). He put up a high rebound total, especially relative to his position and minutes played, but also dished a team-high in assists which is not always his calling card. As the game wound down, he hurt himself with a bloated turnover total to somewhat offset his passing (four).

Max Christie: B+

19 PTS / 1 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN

This was the Max Christie we love to see. He dug into his offensive bag with a few drives, some mid-range shots and of course the three-ball. Best of all, he did all of it well (7-for-12 overall; 2-for-4 from deep). Very nice game, but he fouled a bit too often and had the worst plus/minus for nearly the entire game.

Naji Marshall: B+

19 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN

Marshall has really taken his game to another level. Yes, the Mavericks are playing their worst ball of the season, but remember that Marshall was an undrafted player who has now proven to be one of the best and most consistent players for Dallas. He once again did a little bit of everything and was the primary offensive force for the Mavs throughout the night. Marshall left early to nurse a foot strain.

P.J. Washington: B-

18 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 34 MIN

Washington had a much better game tonight than he has in recent days. His numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page (what with some of the output coming in garbage time), but he chipped in everywhere and made his shots. Now he just needs to build on it and get back into the groove where he could have a big night more frequently.

Daniel Gafford: C–

2 PTS / 6 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 28 MIN

I continue to remind myself that Gafford is doing a lot as the only clear cut center on the roster and that he is arguably best suited in a tandem where he plays 24-minutes or so. That said, I can’t help but feel like he could be doing a lot more. His turnover number was too high (two), he again committed too many fouls (three) and it’s puzzling that he can’t drop at or near a double-double. Defensively he was the first Maverick to register a block in this one, but it came in the fourth quarter (and required a coach’s challenge). His departure from the game due to right ankle soreness came a bit too late into the fourth quarter to spare his grade much.

Klay Thompson: C

9 PTS / 3 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 23 MIN

Thompson knocked down his shots well enough, but had more turnovers than a bakery with a ridiculous total of four.  

Marvin Bagley: B+

7 PTS / 4 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN

I can’t quite figure why Bagley didn’t get more time relative to Gafford. Yes, the Lakers’ bigs have length, but to get only a fraction of the time Gafford logged seemed to be a miscue. He did get some burn in the latter part of the fourth quarter to semi-close out the game, but overall it left us wondering what kind of impact he may have had. In context of the overall game, he again did a nice job and looks to be somewhat rejuvenated since coming to Dallas.

Khris Middleton: C

8 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN

Middleton’s game was similar to Thompson’s, but instead of turning it over he missed shots (3-for-11). Still acclimating to a new setting, there wasn’t much in this one for Middleton.

Final thoughts

The Mavericks’ inability to play defense, especially after being an upper-echelon defensive team earlier in the season, is becoming alarming. During this season-long nine-game losing streak, Dallas has gotten trounced on many more than one occasion. The bench was cleared with a few minutes left. Combined with the late start time and absence of Cooper Flagg, this was a wildly forgettable game.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

 LeBron James continues to add his name to the NBA history books.

In his 23rd season, the 41-year-old became the oldest player to produce a triple-double.

James produced 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, leading his team in all three categories as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks, 124-104, at home on Thursday, Feb. 12.

It's also his first triple-double of the season. James finished the 2024-25 season with 10.

He is fifth on the NBA's all-time regular-season triple-doubles list with 123. He trails just Russell Westbrook (207), Nikola Jokic (184), Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138).

LeBron James stats vs. Mavericks

• Points: 28
• FG: 10-for-20 (2-for-7 3-point shooting)
• Free Throws: 6-for-7
• Rebounds: 10
• Assists: 12
• Steals: 0
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 4
• Fouls: 0
• Minutes: 35

Lakers vs. Mavericks highlights

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers star LeBron James becomes oldest player to record triple-double

According to Tony Jones, who was on local Utah Radio, Sam Presti is the cause behind all of the problems and scrutiny of the Utah Jazz in hopes of getting the Thunder the Jazz’s top-8 protected pick.

Tony Jones confirms it, all this attention/hate on the Jazz stems from OKC going through back channels to start controversy within the league/media in order to pressure Utah into playing to give up their pick

— Art Vandelay (@Caden3218) February 12, 2026

The frustrating part is that it did work in a few ways. The NBA has already fined the Utah Jazz $500K for their lineup decisions and will apparently watch the Jazz closely for the rest of the season.

Karen Presti, as he should be now known, isn’t getting that pick. He can whine all he wants, but he’s just going to end up crying through those clear-frame glasses on lottery night because he’s not getting anything from the Jazz.

Sure, Utah will have to eat this fine, which is more frustrating on principle than anything, but this will pass over. If anything, this may embolden the Jazz to do what the other tanking teams are doing, but in a more blatant way. If there’s one thing I know about Ryan Smith and Ainge² is that they are as competitive as they come. This whole situation is ridiculous an dunfair. Nothing will motivate them to ruin Karen Presti’s day more than this.

There are playoff pushes, and then there are fashion critiques.

On a night when the Los Angeles Lakers dismantled the Dallas Mavericks 124-104 at Crypto.com Arena, the loudest laugh inside the building didn’t come from a dunk or a dagger three. It came from the Lakers bench.

Late in the third quarter, with his team in control and the All-Star break looming across town at the Intuit Dome, Lakers head coach J.J. Redick decided to turn into a professional stylist. He eyed his sidelined superstar, Luka Dončić and zeroed in on the jacket.

“What kind of jacket is that?” Redick asked.

“You don’t know anything about style,” Dončić fired back, barely looking up.

“How would you qualify that jacket?”

"How would you qualify that jacket?"
"A jacket."
"It's not a bomber…"

This mic'd up moment between Luka & JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/F1LfKlq1wa

— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2026

“It’s a jacket.”

Deadpan. Perfect.

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The NBA tweeted out the hilarious moment that was captured on hot mic, but overall it showed the friendly and playful banter the coach and his star player have. 

James led all players with a game-high 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, reminding everyone that the Lakers’ championship ambitions remain stitched tighter than any designer label.

Meanwhile, in the game itself, LeBron James orchestrated the actual masterpiece, finishing with his 123rd career triple-double, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to ever record one.

Just a few days prior, LeBron James looked every bit of the 41 years of age that he is, lamenting how tired he was after the Lakers’ physically-taxing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. 

But after sitting out of Tuesday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs, he looked refreshed on Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

James was dancing during his pregame warmups. 

He was back to being his typically spry self.

And he had one of his best starts to a game this season, which the Lakers needed with Luka Doncic once again sidelined because of his strained hamstring, en route to a historical triple-double and an eventual Lakers’ 124-104 win over the Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena.

The four-time league MVP finished with 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, with his final defensive rebound at the 2:05 mark of the fourth giving him the historical statistical achievement. 

Rui Hachimura added 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while Austin Reaves added 18 points, six assists and four rebounds. 

Jaxson Hayes, starting in place of Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness), finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists against a Mavericks team that was without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. 

What it means

The Lakers snapped their two-game losing streak and will enter the All-Star break on a high note.

By improving to a 33-21 record, the Lakers moved back up to the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings, passing the Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22) because of percentage points. 

Turning point 

When Khris Middleton missed a wide-open corner 3-pointer at the 2:59 mark in the third quarter. 

The Lakers had just taken an 89-80 lead after back-to-back 3s from Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber sandwiched around a step midrange jumper from Max Christie.

If Middleton made the 3, the Mavericks would’ve cut their deficit to six, and had momentum on their side against a Lakers team looking to enter the break on a high note.

But what transpired after Middleton’s missed 3 was Lakers coach JJ Redick calling a timeout, with Austin Reaves assisting Jaxson Hayes on a floater on the team’s ensuing possession, which started a 7-2 run the Lakers closed the quarter on to give them a 96-82 lead going into the fourth.

The Lakers led by double digits for the remainder of the game. 

MVP: LeBron James 

James led the Lakers early, recording 14 points, six assists and two rebounds in the opening quarter. 

He scored or assisted on 11 of the Lakers’ 14 made shots in the first.

James finished with 10-of-20 shooting from the field.

Stat of the game: 41 years, 44 days

That’s how old James was on Thursday, making him the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double.

James was almost a full year older than Karl Malone when Malone was 40 years and 127 days old when he recoerded a 10 point-11 rebound-10 assist triple-double in a Lakers win over the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 28, 2003. 

Not only is James now the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double, but he’s also got 16 of the other top-17 spots for oldest players to record the statistical feat.

Up next

A much-needed break from games with the All-Star Weekend on the horizon.

The Lakers won’t play again until they host the Clippers in their first game after the break on Feb. 20. 

They have a few players set to participate in All-Star festivities over the weekend: Hayes in Saturday night’s Dunk Contest; Doncic and James in Sunday’s All-Star Game. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history with a triple-double when he put up 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

At 41 years and 44 days old, James broke the record held by Karl Malone, who recorded a triple-double for the Lakers when he was 40 years and 127 days old.

James scored 14 points in a dominant first quarter, and had 22 points and 12 assists heading to the fourth. He grabbed his 10th rebound with 2:06 to play and checked out moments later, wrapping up another sensational game in his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

James is headed to the All-Star Game this weekend after being selected for the 22nd time. He got his most recent triple-double on Feb. 1, 2025.

Naji Marshall and Max Christie scored 19 points apiece for the Mavericks, who lost their ninth straight to fall into their longest skid in 28 seasons.

NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic didn’t suit up against his former team, missing his fourth straight game for the Lakers with a mild hamstring strain. Star rookie Cooper Flagg sat out with a sprained foot for Dallas that will prevent him from participating in All-Star weekend at nearby Intuit Dome.

James and Austin Reaves sat out the Lakers’ loss to San Antonio on Tuesday for health maintenance, but both returned in a comfortable victory. Reaves had 18 points and six assists.

Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Lakers, who have won seven of 11.

BUCKS 110, THUNDER 93

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Former Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng had 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, and Milwaukee beat Oklahoma City.

The Thunder traded Dieng just before the deadline. The 6-foot-9 Frenchman was the G-League Finals MVP as the Oklahoma City Blue won the championship in 2024 and a Thunder reserve.

Both teams were missing important pieces.

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers was out attending a funeral, and assistant Darvin Ham filled in. Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a right calf strain.

Oklahoma City played without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and co-star Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). Both will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.

AJ Green scored 17 points for the Bucks, and obby Portis added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Isaiah Joe scored 17 points and Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who were coming off road wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix.

TRAIL BLAZERS 135, JAZZ 119

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 31 points and Donovan Clingan added 23 points and 18 rebounds as Portland beat Utah — hours after the Jazz lost Jaren Jackson Jr. to knee surgery and were fined $500,000 by the NBA for sitting healthy stars.

Clingan also had a career-high seven assists and three blocks. Holiday had nine rebounds and seven assists to lead Portland (27-29) to its fourth victory in five games.

Jerami Grant added 18 points and Scoot Henderson scored 15 in his fourth game this season.

Brice Sensabaugh had 28 points while Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier each scored 15 for Utah (18-38).

In his first NBA game, Utah two-way player Blake Hinson scored 11 points and hit a 3-pointer to pull the Jazz to 111-108. But the Blazers responded with an 11-2 run capped by Holiday’s layup to clinch the win.

Clingan sparked a 10-0 spurt with dominating play on both ends to give the Trail Blazers a 75-65 lead. Portland outscored the short-handed Jazz 40-23 in the third quarter to take control.

Jackson, who led the Jazz to a 2-1 record since arriving from Memphis in a trade last week, did not play. In a post-trade physical exam, Jackson was diagnosed with a benign growth in his left knee and will have surgery next week.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 124-104 on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena behind a vintage effort from LeBron James.

It was the Mavs’ final game before the All-Star break, and they didn’t exactly go out with a bang. The game in LA was lacking a certain amount of star power with both Cooper Flagg and Luka Doncic out with injuries. LeBron James continued his streak of great play, however. He scored 28 points and managed his first triple-double of the season at age 41 with a 28/12/10 night.

For Dallas, Naji Marshall and Max Christie continued to shoulder the bulk of the Mavs scoring, putting up 19 apiece in the loss.

Group effort

Four of Dallas’ five starters put up double-digit points. It’s become something of an expectation when the Mavs are without their offensive center point. Brandon Williams got the start at the point and not only contributed 17 points, but looked the part of a solid distributor, finishing with 7 assists.

Even with the addition of Tyus Jones — allegedly Dallas’ original free agent target before they signed D’Angelo Russel — Williams remains hard to keep off the floor. His speed towards the rim can really cause fits for some teams, and it’s something the Lakers have had trouble defending all season. Williams hit 1-of-3 from deep, but did most of his damage driving into the paint to power his 6-of-11 night from the floor.

Third time, not the charm

There were a couple of times in the game where it seemed like the Mavs were letting the rope slip out of their hand early. Right from the jump, LeBron kicked things off with a 14-point first quarter and built a double digit Laker lead barely halfway through the first. Dallas woke up and went on a run of their own to even things out by the end of the frame. Then, the Lakers turned around and built a 13-point lead in the second quarter. Still, Dallas came back and even took a small lead early in the third.

But when LA pushed the lead back over 10 by the close of that quarter, Dallas just didn’t have the gas for another run. Especially with Naji and Daniel Gafford leaving the game midway through the fourth with a couple of injuries.

Khris Middleton, Dallas Maverick

it’s always fun to see a new face in a Dallas uniform. Middleton is not so new to coach Jason Kidd, who coached him in Milwaukee. There was some question as to whether Dallas would release Middleton to allow him to find a team of his choosing, but at least for now, he laced ‘em up for Dallas and went out and scored 8 points in 21 minutes.

LeBron James was full of joy before the Lakers faced the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, dancing, laughing, running around, his infectious energy the driving force behind his team’s easy win and yet another NBA record for a man who owns so many already.

James produced a triple-double of 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in leading the Lakers to a 124-104 win over the Mavericks, making him at age 41 the oldest player in league history to post a triple-double, surpassing Karl Malone.

James explained why he was so full of glee before the game that left the Lakers 33-21 and in fifth place in the super-tough Western Conference.

“That's always me. I'm a goofy-ass 41-year-old kid,” James said, laughing. “I think people should know that by now, right? That's just me. I get to play basketball. They pay me to play basketball. Why wouldn't I be happy? I get to be with my son (Bronny James) and my teammates and all these unbelievable fans that watched me throughout my career and they give me all the support and love. I enjoy what I do. Have fun. You see me on the court, see me in the back. I just love what I do. It's pretty cool.”

James now has 123 triple-doubles in his career, tying him for the fifth-most in league history during the regular season.

“The win. That’s the most important [thing],” James said. “And to be able to do it and get the win is, that means more to me than anything. But I’m very blessed to play this game, play it at a high level and I was able to do it again tonight.”

James began the game playing with a purpose.

Luka Doncic missed his fourth straight game with left leg soreness, leaving the Lakers shorthanded again.

So James took the controls, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and handing out six assists. He wanted to make sure the Lakers head into the All-Star break this weekend on a winning note.

“I think that was my only mindset was, how can we go into the break on a high note,” James said. “And obviously, that (Dallas) team is, no matter who's out on the floor for them, they are well-coached and they're going to play hard. And they did that for the majority of the game tonight. But just tried to set the tone and end the first half of the season on a high note.”

James is still playing at a high level in his NBA-record 23rd season and has given no indication on when he will retire.

He was reminded of his comments from a few years ago, when James said he could play another four or five years.

Does he feel the same way now?

“Could I? Yeah, I could. But I don't know,” James said. “It's not like my game…My game is not going anywhere. It's just my body. It's so many more factors that come with how long will I play the game. I don't think my game will ever suffer if I decided to continue to go, however long that is.

"I just think it has to be here (points to mind). How long can I stay in love with the process? Because that's always been my thing. If I can't continue to stay in love with the process, then if this goes, then my body's gonna go. And once my body goes then it's a wrap. Then the love goes, and then the fun and all that stuff goes.

“So that's what it is. It's not my game is deteriorating. Obviously there's things I could have done when I was 25 compared to 35, and 35 to 41 or 21 to 31 or 41. But I have so much knowledge of the game that I know how to still continue to make an impact even if I'm not a 45, 43, 41 vertical. I can still do so many things on the floor.”

James missed the first 14 games of the season with sciatica. It meant he was unable to train during the summer and he couldn’t practice during training camp.

James admitted that because his season started so slow that he had some doubts about whether or not he could still compete at his same high level.

“Yeah, of course. That's human nature. For sure. For sure,” James said. “I've never not been able to work on my game and tune my game and detail my game for quite a while in the offseason. And I don't like coming into the season not in the best possible tune I could be in, the best possible shape I could possibly be in.

"I didn't have that opportunity. Didn't have the opportunity to be in the preseason, didn't have the opportunity to have a training camp, didn't have the opportunity to have the first part of the regular season, missing the first 14 games.

“So, absolutely. Doubt creeps into your mind to see if you can get back to form and get back to making an impact. But as the weeks started going on and my body started to feel a lot better, and it was always the second day or third day after a hard workout how I was bouncing back from that, I started to realize that it's gonna take me a while to get back in rhythm. As you've seen, probably the first few games when I came back how out of rhythm I was, but I knew it wouldn't be too long.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Zimbabwe caused the first major upset at the T20 Cricket World Cup with a surprise 23-run win against Australia on Friday.

Blessing Muzarabani grabbed 4-17 and Brad Evans picked up 3-23 as Australia was bowled out for just 146 in 19.3 overs, suffering a first loss in Group B that also features co-host Sri Lanka.

Matt Renshaw, playing in his first T20 World Cup, scored a fighting 65 off 44 balls and Glenn Maxwell hit 31 off 32 deliveries, but Muzarabani and Evans did enough damage up front by claiming four wickets inside the power play to steer Zimbabwe to a second successive victory in Group B.

Opening batter Brian Bennett had earlier anchored Zimbabwe’s 169-2 with an unbeaten 64 off 56 balls. Tadiwanashe Marumani (35) and Ryan Burl (35) also made handy contributions while captain Sikandar Raza’s late acceleration (25 off 13 deliveries) was crucial.

“I was bowling to some of the best players in the world, so I am really happy it came off really nice,” said Muzarabani, who also completed 100 wickets in T20s. “Really good to beat Australia, but also (will be) nice to qualify, so looking forward to the next game now.”

In the only other previous T20 World Cup game between the two nations, Zimbabwe defeated Australia by five wickets in 2007.

Australia was without captain Mitchell Marsh, sidelined for the second successive game due to a testicular injury he picked up on the eve of the first game against Ireland.

Makeshift opener Josh Inglis was caught off Muzarabani at deep backward square leg before big-hitters Cameron Green and Tim David went for ducks.

Evans found the under edge of Green's bat and had him caught behind while David — playing his first game since a hamstring injury ruled him out of the Big Bash League in late December — pulled Muzarabani’s short ball straight to short fine leg.

Evans then got the prized wicket of stand-in captain Travis Head for 17, the ball rolling back onto his stumps after deflecting off his pads when he tried to drive a full-length delivery.

On a slow wicket where stroke-making was difficult, Maxwell and Renshaw rebuilt Australia's chase with a 77-run partnership, but Zimbabwe didn’t allow the batters to break free and the asking rate soared.

With the pressure mounting, Maxwell played spinner Burl onto his leg stump in the 15th over and Marcus Stoinis holed out in the outfield of Wellington Masakadza before Muzarabani and Evans returned in the death overs to seal a dream win.

Earlier, Marumani replaced the injured Brendan Taylor as opener and made an aggressive start by hitting seven boundaries to help take Zimbabwe to 61-0 with Bennett.

Stoinis broke through in the eighth over when Marumani was caught behind, as he attempted another expansive cut, before Burl shared another 60-run stand with Bennett.

Burl then top-edged Green to short third man after he stood in for Stoinis, who had to go off after injuring his left hand while trying to hold onto a difficult return catch off the same batter.

Raza hit the last ball for six over deep fine leg.

Later Friday

Four associate nations will be involved in the two other games on Friday. Canada won the toss and chose to bat against United Arab Emirates in a Group D game in Delhi.

The United States, which has already lost to India and Pakistan in Group A, will meet the Netherlands in Chennai.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

A strong third quarter and a triple-double from LeBron James saw the Lakers head into the All-Star break on a high with a comfortable 124-104 win over the Mavs on Thursday.

LA won the third period 32-19 and the second half 60-41, blowing the game open and putting away a Dallas team all-too-happy to lose.

Both teams started perfectly from the field, each converting on their first two shots. The Lakers then scored 10 straight points to take a double-digit lead with LeBron James leading the way with eight points. Naji Marshall stopped some of the bleeding for Dallas with a layup that sparked a 12-0 run to give them the lead. 

Rui Hachimura had a good quarter for Los Angeles, scoring nine points. 

Max Christie had a perfect quarter, going 3-3 from the field, helping keep the Mavericks momentum. LeBron’s dominant start continued as he was now up to 14 points. At the end of the first, the Lakers were up by five. 

LeBron James goes coast-to-coast for the AND-1!

10 PTS in 7 MIN on @NBAonPrime 🔥🔥

Tap to watch: https://t.co/7PDLas2X1Kpic.twitter.com/C6DVIgUgOS

— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2026

To start the second period, the Mavericks tied the game with a quick five points. LA was shooting a rough 23% from behind the arc. They were missing quite a few good looks. Jake LaRavia stepped up offensively, scoring seven points. Los Angeles built a 12-point lead thanks to a 13-2 scoring run. 

Hachimura was the second Laker in double figures with 11 points. 

Austin Reaves was having a great quarter to push his point total to 11 off the bench. The three ball was still a sour point for the Lakers as they were shooting 25%. LA once again allowed the Mavericks to go on a run, giving up 12 points. 

As a result of the late surge, it was just a one-point lead for the purple and gold at halftime.

A strong finish by Dallas reduced LA's lead to one at the half. LeBron James has 18 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists, and Rui Hachimura has 14 points on 60% shooting.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) February 13, 2026

Marshall converted a three-point play to put Dallas ahead to start the third period. The Lakers then scored four straight to retake the lead. Both teams were battling hard, exchanging the lead back and forth. LA started putting cushion on their lead, forcing a timeout from the Mavericks. 

Out of the break, Brandon Williams scored on a jumper for Dallas. 

Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber both drained triples, helping put Los Angeles up by nine. Kleber also converted on a layup, giving him five much-needed points off the bench.

While he didn’t shoot much, Luke Kennard did grab seven rebounds, leading the team. He then knocked down a 3-pointer, his only long-distance make of the game. 

At the end of the third, the Lakers were up by 14. When leading after the third period, they are 23-0 this season. 

The Lakers outscored the Mavs 32-19 in the third and now lead 96-82. LeBron James is leading the charge with Luka Dončić out. He has 22 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) February 13, 2026

Los Angeles scored four straight to start the final frame. The lead had gone to 18 until LA started fouling Dallas, sending them to the free-throw line three times in a row. The Mavericks then returned the favor, fouling Reaves, who converted on the three-point play. 

Reaves finally saw an attempt from behind the arc go in, and it helped put the Lakers up by 16 with 7:17 left in the quarter. 

After what felt like 400 free throws between the team, Jaxson Hayes scored on a layup. Christie then dunked the ball on the other end. At the 3:18 mark, LA had a comfortable 16-point lead. 

LeBron picked up his 10th rebound in the closing minutes, which secured his first triple-double of the season. It also made him the oldest player in Lakers history to record a triple-double, passing Karl Malone.

Hachimura also knocked down his third triple of the game. A slam by dunk contest participant Hayes put the finishing touches on the win, sealing the win and leading to the bench emptying for LA.

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with his first triple-double of the season, notching 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Reaves ended with 18 points, four rebounds and six assists off the bench. Hachimura pitched in with 21 points, going 9-13 from the field and 3-4 from three.

LaRavia had 11 points with three rebounds. Hayes notched 16 points with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Marcus Smart scored nine points with two assists. 

Kleber had five points off the bench. Vanderbilt scored five points with six rebounds and two steals. Kennard ended with nine points, seven rebounds and three assists. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, February 20th, at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

After a feisty and generally entertaining 48 minutes of basketball, the Utah Jazz ultimately fell to the Portland Trailblazers, 119-135. But hey! This loss with zero minutes of Lauri Markkanen will allow us to dodge the $500,000 anti-tank hammer viciously swung down on the… win with 25 minutes of Lauri Markkanen. Adds up.

Brice Sensabaugh was the teams leading scorer tonight, dropping a calm, cool, and collected 28 points. His ability to operate on and off the ball will be key for Utah’s offense next year – every bit of off-the-dribble creation will be valued when paired up with the off-ball scoring of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen. For that reason, I’m all for continued experimentation from Brice to close out the year, as long as he understands that some of the early shot clock isolations will have to dialed back as the team gets ready for some serious, competitive basketball.

The rest of the team showed the flashes that we have come to expect; Ace exploded for some startling dunks, Collier continues to fear no man when he has a head of steam, and Filipowski displayed the fascinating versatility of agility and strength that makes him a fun long term option in the front court. The youth of the team really started to show, however, in the 3rd quarter. The Trailblazers threw out a lineup featuring Jrue Holiday, Sidy Cissoko, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant, and Donovan Clingan – that groups size and defensive intensity really threw a wrench into the offensive flow the Jazz had built in the 2nd quarter. Jrue Holiday, in particular, was the Jazz-killer of the night, with a stat line of 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists – it was clear that his 17 years of NBA experience gave him a significant leg-up compared to the 10 combined years of experience of the Jazz starting lineup.

A moment for the newcomers – each of Vince Williams Jr., John Konchar, and new signee Blake Hinson had moments to show their value tonight. Vince Williams has a way of shifting the tone from the second he checks in. It seems that constantly he is trying his best to do a convincing Kris Dunn impersonation, a Jazzman who fans have remembered fondly for his sturdy defense and heady plays. Perhaps he took that impersonation too far, however – he was (oddly quickly) ejected after arguing over a call in the 2nd quarter, which, according to Andy Larsen, is the first Jazz ejection since the aforementioned Dunn. Still, the energy is much appreciated. Konchar provided some energy of his own, constantly finding ways to make his presence felt on the court. Blake Hinson, a recent signee from the G-League, played some key minutes, hit some nice threes, and really tried his best guarding 7’2 behemoth Donovan Clingan. I’d like to see more Hinson as the season goes on.

The race to the bottom continues! The Jazz currently have a bit of a cushion on both sides of the standings: 1.5 games behind the Nets, and 2.5 in front of the Mavericks, leaving them solidly with the 6th best lottery odds. They will have the opportunity to improve those odds after the All-Star Break; next time we see the Jazz play will be February 20th in Memphis at 5 P.M.

The reaction that Nikola Topić received — a standing ovation from Thunder fans inside Paycom Center on Thursday, when he checked in for the first time late in the first quarter — captured the magnitude of the moment.

Topić, Oklahoma City’s first-round pick at No. 12 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, was about to make a debut more than a year in the making.

First, there was the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of last season, forcing him to miss the entirety of the Thunder’s championship run.

A standing ovation for Nikola Topić

The 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is making his NBA debut for the @okcthunder tonight!

Tap to watch: https://t.co/H43cOyWuWnpic.twitter.com/J72f4kQMiN

— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2026

And then there was the testicular procedure in October, the testicular cancer diagnosis and the chemotherapy that upended the point guard’s career and kept him out of the lineup for the first 55 games of the season, too.

But during the Thunder’s 110-93 loss to the Bucks, Topić stepped onto the court for the first time as an NBA player in a heartwarming scene and contributed two points, one assist and one rebound across 12 minutes.

“He could’ve made 100 shots, missed 100 shots,” Thunder teammate Chet Holmgren said postgame. “Tonight’s an amazing game for him.”

After checking into the game, as Thunder fans cheered around him, Topić patted his chest while standing under the basket before collecting the ball, inbounding it and receiving a return pass to bring it up the court.

It served as a small step for Topić in his return, as head coach Mark Daigneault described the 20-year-old as still being in the “infant stages” of returning to full game shape in terms of his conditioning, athleticism and strength.

He appeared in one preseason game for the Thunder in October before his absence, and then played in two games for their G League team this week before returning.

“Anybody who’s battling cancer is fighting for their life,” Holmgren said. “I could never begin to understand what that’s like, and it just speaks to the strength of [Topić] and who he is as a person. It would’ve been very justified for him to weigh everybody around him down and sulk and be mad at the world because the kid he is, he doesn’t deserve that. We’re all just so happy that he was able to battle through that and get back to hooping.”

The Thunder, despite the loss, entered the All-Star break as the top seed in the Western Conference with a 42-14 record.