More moments to savour, following reviews of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024
Peter Moores grew up in Macclesfield, a northern town that would not feel out of place in Surrey. Maybe that upbringing bred his ability to fit in, find a way to communicate and always be of one’s place, regardless of where that place may be.
Continue reading...The NBA’s Christmas Day slate offered no shortage of star power or intrigue. The festivities opened with a monster comeback from the New York Knicks as they took down the Cleveland Cavaliers. Steph Curry reached 26,000 career points as his Warriors took down Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Los Angeles Lakers lost a snoozer to the Houston Rockets, but the night closed on a high note as Nikola Jokic’s 55-point triple-double lifted the Nuggets past the Anthony Edwards (44 points) and the Timberwolves in overtime.
As we head into 2026, here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 11.
1. Anthony Black
2. Bilal Coulibaly
3. Moussa Diabate
4. Collin Gillespie
5. Tim Hardaway Jr.
6. Jaylon Tyson
7. Egor Demin
8. Brook Lopez
9. Jake LaRavia
10. Tari Eason
11. Sandro Mamukelashvili
12. Dylan Cardwell
Black was a recommended pickup last week, and he paid off handsomely for fantasy managers who added him. Over his last eight games (all starts), the young guard has averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.6 triples across 34.8 minutes. He went off for arguably the best game of his career in Saturday’s upset win over the Nuggets, dropping 38 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and seven triples. With Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner still banged up, Black should continue to see big run. Even when both players return, Black has done enough to earn meaningful minutes, which should keep him relevant in standard leagues for the rest of the season.
HAVE A NIGHT, ANTHONY BLACK!
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2025
38 PTS (career-high)
6 REB
5 AST
2 STL
7 3PM
And the clutch stop to get the win over Denver pic.twitter.com/AaVC833qOd
Gillespie continues to shine for Phoenix, and there’s no reason to expect him to slow down anytime soon. He’s scored 16+ points in five straight games, averaging 16.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.2 steals and 3.2 triples across 32.6 minutes. He’s provided elite value in multiple categories, and it’s a shock that he’s so widely available in Yahoo! leagues.
Eason has logged four games since returning from a lengthy absence, and in that span, he’s averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.8 triples across 20.3 minutes. Eason started each of Houston’s last two games, and he totaled a healthy six steals, three blocks and three triples. He may not be a strong source of points, rebounds or assists, but he offers elite upside for the scarce defensive categories.
Tyson continues to get it done for Cleveland, taking on meaningful minutes off the bench and filling in when needed. Over his last three games, he’s averaged 19 points, 9.0 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.7 triples. He finished with a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double on Saturday.
Coulibaly has missed half of the season due to injury, but when available, he’s posted some great numbers. Across his last three outings, he’s averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.3 swats and 1.3 triples. Coulibaly’s value as a defensive specialist makes him a strong waiver wire target, but his serviceable scoring is the cherry on top.
Jakob Poeltl (back) has been in and out of Toronto’s lineup throughout the season, and when available, he’s logged just 25.3 minutes per game - his fewest in six seasons. Mamu has posted reliable numbers off the bench and as a starter. He came off the bench Sunday in favor of Scottie Barnes at center, and Barnes came away with a monster 23/25/10 triple-double. Despite his move to the bench, Mamu delivered 13 points, six rebounds, two steals, a block and a triple.
Diabate is a must-add right now, as he continues to see big minutes for Charlotte as the team’s starting center. He should remain locked into that role until Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) returns. Across his last three games, Diabate has averaged 9.0 points, 15 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals across 32.3 minutes.
BroLo was another name listed in last week’s column, but he was rostered in only 4% of Yahoo! leagues on December 22. After some great play, his roster percentage has increased 500%, and fantasy managers should grab him now. Lopez went off for a career-high nine triples on Friday and finished with 31 points. Over his last four games, he’s averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 3.5 triples across 30.3 minutes. Lopez won’t score 30 points every night, and he won’t crash the glass with authority, but he can certainly be useful as a shot-blocker and three-point shooter. He should have first dibs on the starting center job until Ivica Zubac returns.
THJ was trending up in his own right, but the absence of Cameron Johnson has allowed Hardaway Jr. to step into the starting lineup. Across his last four games (two starts), THJ has averaged 20.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 5.0 triples across 32 minutes. He’s scored at least 19 in four straight and 20+ in three of those. He’s not going to offer much in the peripheral categories, but if you need points and triples with decent efficiency and low turnovers, Hardaway Jr. is your man.
After a slow start to his inaugural campaign, the rookie out of BYU has started to deliver. Over his last five games, Denim has averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 triples. He’s locked in as Brooklyn’s starting point guard, and his production should continue to trend up as he finds his footing at the professional level.
The Lakers suffered another blow last week when it was announced that Austin Reaves will miss at least four weeks with a Grade 2 calf strain. The absence of Reaves should allow LaRavia to step into a larger role for the Lakers, and LaRavia has answered the call when given additional opportunities this season. Over his last five games, LaRavia has averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.0 triples across 28.4 minutes. Nick Smith Jr. is also in the mix in deeper leagues.
Over his last six games, Kolek has averaged 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.3 triples across 23 minutes. He’s seen significantly more run with Miles McBride sidelined, and that trend should continue for as long as Deuce is out. Kolek is a reliable source of assists when given additional playing time, although his upside is still capped by the availability of Jalen Brunson.
Cardwell hasn’t been starting for Sacramento. That spot with the first unit still belongs to Maxime Raynaud, but Cardwell has done enough off the bench to make some noise. Managers in need of blocks and rebounds can pick up Cardwell. He failed to record a block in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers, but in five games prior, he averaged 2.6 swats to go with 6.8 rebounds. He warrants consideration in standard leagues, but Cardwell is certainly worth grabbing in deeper formats.
Other options:Cam Spencer (31%), Aaron Nesmith (21%), Keldon Johnson (15%), Moses Moody (12%), Spencer Jones (3%)
Pitcher Andrew Heaney says he is retiring after 12 major league seasons.
“I am now ready to return my focus and energy to being a husband, father, family man and active member of my community,” he wrote on social media. “I’m retiring from baseball, but I hope to give back more than I received.”
A 34-year-old left-hander, Heaney was 56-72 with a 4.57 ERA in 208 starts and 22 relief appearances for Miami (2014), the Los Angeles Angels (2015-21), the New York Yankees (2021), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2022, 2025), Texas (2023-24) and Pittsburgh (2025), which signed him to a one-year, $5.25 million contract in February.
He was 5-10 with a 5.52 ERA this year in 23 starts and four relief appearances. He was released by the Pirates on Aug. 29, signed with the Dodgers three days later and made one appearance for Los Angeles, allowing three runs over two innings at Seattle on Sept. 27. He did not pitch in the postseason.
Heaney started and won Game 4 of the 2023 World Series for Texas, allowing one run over five innings.
The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night at the United Center. It was a 7-3 blowout that ended any goodwill earned in their Saturday night shootout win over the Dallas Stars.
After giving up four goals on seven shots, Spencer Knight was pulled. The team didn't get the spark that Jeff Blashill was looking for offensively, so he put Knight back in for the third.
Penguins Skate Out Of Chicago With 7-3 Victory Over BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks were run out of their own building by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night. After the game, Blashill didn't sound like the head coach of a team that was just blown out in the second half of a back-to-back yet again. Instead, he sounded like a coach who was satisfied with the effort and process.
‘‘It was a night their chances went in, in the first, and our chances didn’t,’’ Blashill said. ‘‘Then you’re just digging yourself out of a hole that’s difficult to dig out of."
Spencer Knight was leaky, and the Blackhawks did have a couple of chances in the first minute of regulation. Blashill, based on his words, thinks that if Knight was as sharp as he's been this year, and maybe they buried one of their earlier chances, that the game would have gone much differently.
‘‘We probably had more quality chances than we did last night, especially in that first part," Blashill said. "We probably gave up similar stuff. Theirs went in, and ours didn’t. That’s hockey.’’
The fact of the matter is that it's another four-plus goal defeat that came on the second leg of a back-to-back situation. They are 0-4 in those games, and all of them have been by four or more. They allowed seven or more in three of them. With eight more of these remaining, including this upcoming weekend, it is worth analyzing.
Wyatt Kaiser and Nick Foligno spoke after the loss, and each of them tried to diagnose what the problem is. If they knew for sure, they would have corrected it already, which is a common answer when an NHL player is asked how something can be fixed.
Even after tough losses, and this has been said a lot so far in 2025-26, Jeff Blashill is not going to get up to the podium and blast his players unless there is a serious problem. He believes in them up and down the lineup.
‘‘I like who they are as people. I like who they are as competitors. I like who they are as hockey players. And I like the potential in the group, even for the rest of this season."
It is going to be a tough run of hockey. They don't have Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar right now due to injury, and that makes it harder to win. However, sticking to the process that allowed them to have success earlier in the season will do them good down the stretch as they try to come out of this slump.
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In the battle of Florida, once again, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning hashed out their anger towards each other through fights and extracurricular activities.
Ultimately, the Lightning left with the two points, defeating the Panthers 4-2. The Panthers took an early lead with an Eetu Luostarinen goal, but three unanswered goals by the Lightning were enough to secure the victory.
Unsurprisingly, the game was marked by penalties, with two resulting in fines. Anton Lundell was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for high-sticking Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel. Coincidentally, Scott Sabourin has been fined $2,018.23, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for slashing Florida’s Niko Mikkola.
The Panthers had 10 power play opportunities, converting just one. The Lightning had six but failed to score. In the end, the Panthers were given 49 penalty minutes. The Lightning were handed 85 penalty minutes.
Prior to the game, the Panthers and Lightning were warned by the NHL to keep the fights and altercations clean. The NHL Department of Player Safety felt that none of the altercations needed supplementary discipline, and no suspensions were handed out.
The Panthers and Lightning have met three times this season, with one more game set for Feb. 5 in Tampa. The Panthers have won just one of three matchups this season.
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Michigan keeps hold of the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll and Duke rises in the final rankings of the 2025 calendar year.
To refer to the Mets' offseason to this point as polarizing would be a huge understatement.
With New York trading Brandon Nimmo, letting Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso walk via free agency, and dealing Jeff McNeil, the core has been stripped down to the beams. Never before in the history of the franchise has something this drastic happened in one offseason with core players who were not only still effective, but beloved by the fans.
The Diaz and Alonso departures happening in a 24-hour span resulted in most of the fan base being disoriented, and the slow pace of the offseason since then -- not just for the Mets, but nearly every team -- has left the mystery of what's to come hanging in the air. In other words, it has been uncomfortable.
But that doesn't mean David Stearns doesn't have a plan.
Before exploring what that plan might entail, it's important to dissect each of the above moves separately instead of attempting to lump them all together.
Dealing Nimmo to the Rangers ahead of his age-33 season and with five years left on his contract made baseball sense, especially with his offense and outfield defense declining. That the player coming back (second baseman Marcus Semien) wasn't a Nimmo replacement means the trade is impossible to grade until the next outfield move comes.
Alonso signing with the Orioles on a five-year contract for $155 million was a gut punch for many fans. But it's hard to argue that the Mets extending that far on Alonso would've been a smart move. There is a serious issue without Alonso, though, and it's the tough task of replacing his power.
McNeil departing was something you could see coming since the end of the 2025 season. And once New York added Semien, there was no longer a regular role for him.
I saved the Diaz departure for last because it's the only one that left me flummoxed.
You can say that Diaz leaving to sign with the Dodgers was proof that he simply wanted to go there. But I reject that belief. Most of the time, players go where the most money is, and that's what happened in this case. Anything Diaz said at his introductory news conference in Los Angeles is a waste to analyze, unless you were expecting him to put his new cap and jersey on and say he wished he was still a Met.
The Mets being willing to extend to three years and $66 million for Diaz tells you they wanted to retain him, unless they were playing some weird game of chicken while daring him to leave. So that they lost him for relative pennies suggests that something went haywire communication-wise at the end of the negotiation or that the Mets balked at his ultimate price.
Pair the above with the fact that the signings of Jorge Polanco (who might be asked to play lots of first base)and Luke Weaver are the only big moves New York has made over the last month or so, and the result is this weird, uncomfortable limbo where much more has to be coming -- but with it being fair for people to not totally trust the process until the end product is visible.
So, what should the plan be?
This was the Mets' biggest need when the offseason started, and the rotation has still not been upgraded with the offseason two months old.
To get this out of the way: The Mets don't need an "ace," which is a label thrown around too lightly. There are only a handful of true aces in the sport, and they are incredibly difficult to procure. If New York somehow lands Tarik Skubal from the Tigers? Great. If not, there are plenty of top of the rotation starters (someone who could slide into the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in a rotation) out there.
Via the trade market, the Mets could target someone like Nick Pivetta of the Padres, Freddy Peralta of the Brewers, or Joe Ryan of the Twins. New York has the prospect capital to get it done, but it takes two to tango.
In free agency, the Mets have recently been linked to Framber Valdez, who has been one of the best and most reliable pitchers in baseball over the last half decade.
If Valdez can be had on a three- or four-year deal, it will be difficult to make a case against the Mets going out and getting him.
The Mets' 2025 season was torpedoed due in large part to the rotation failing and Stearns not being decisive enough in addressing it (something he admitted after the season). The starting staff must be significantly bolstered this time around.
As things currently stand, New York's outfield is Juan Soto in right field and question marks in both center and left.
With top prospect Carson Benge expected to contribute in a serious way this season, it's fair to believe that only one legitimate outfielder should be added -- with the other spot going to either Benge from the jump or to a placeholder until Benge is ready.
Most of the focus has been on free agents Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Perhaps Tucker becomes a fit if no team is willing to give him the long-term deal he wants. And maybe Bellinger switches boroughs if the Yankees aren't aggressive enough.
But if Tucker and Bellinger get enormous paydays, the trade market should be where the Mets turn to try to fill their outfield need.
It's possible that the Red Sox will trade Jarren Duran, and the White Sox -- barring something truly strange happening -- will finally part with Luis Robert Jr.
Other options could include San Diego's Ramon Laureano and an outside-the-box option like Arizona infielder Ketel Marte, who could theoretically slide to left field.
After the Mets downgraded the offense by dealing Nimmo and letting Alonso go as a free agent, they were left needing three legit bats.
They found one of them by signing Polanco, and will likely get another with whoever they bring in as a starting outfielder.
As far as that third bat?
The Mets could add a first baseman and make Polanco the regular DH.
They could sign someone like Eugenio Suarez and have him be the DH.
They could also get creative and do something like sign Alex Bregman to play third base and shift Brett Baty to first.
Along with Weaver and Williams, the Mets' bullpen in 2026 is expected to include left-handers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley -- though the start of Minter's season could be a bit delayed following lat surgery this past May.
Huascar Brazoban also figures to be in the bullpen mix, as do hard-throwing prospects Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.
Other relievers who could compete for roles include Jonathan Pintaro (who made his big league debut last season) and Adbert Alzolay (who is on a two-year minor league deal and missed the 2025 season).
But while there are plenty of possible options, the Mets need more certainty -- especially at the back end.
Among the intriguing relievers available are Trevor Megill of the Brewers and Jeremiah Estrada of the Padres.
Head to Peacock tonight for an exciting NBA doubleheader. The action starts at 8:00 PM ET when the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the San Antonio Spurs, followed by the Dallas Mavericks vs Portland Trailblazers game at 10:30 PM.
See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
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The Cavaliers (17-16) are coming off back-to-back losses, most recently falling 117-100 to the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Jaylon Tyson led the team with 23 points off the bench and finished with a career-high 14 rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell added 16 points and 6 assists. The Cavaliers have relied heavily on the All-Star guard as they've dealt with injuries this season. Mitchell is on pace to set career highs in scoring (30.2 ppg), shooting percentage (49.7%), 2-point shooting percentage (59.4%), field goal attempts per game (21.3), and 3-point attempts per game (10.2).
The Spurs look to bounce back tonight after their eight-game regular season win streak was snapped on Saturday in a 127-114 loss to the Utah Jazz. Victor Wembanyama finished with a game-high 32 points, along with 7 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 assists in his first start since suffering a left calf strain on November 14. He had come off the bench in each of the previous six games, following a 12-game absence.
Despite the loss, the Spurs have been the best team in the league over the last six weeks, going 15-4 in their last 19 games to improve to second in the Western Conference
UP THERE.
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 28, 2025
All star Voting: https://t.co/HTwyYHxTJk
@FanDuelSN_SWpic.twitter.com/mGYKTqBocb
Keldon Johnson added 27 points and 10 boards, and Stephon Castle finished with 20 points and 7 assists.
Dallas Mavericks vs Portland Trailblazers - 10:30 PM ET on Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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The Argentinian captain has his critics but is the leader and inspiration behind a team finding their feet again
Leave it to a 20-year-old, with three Serie A starts under his belt, to provide a most perceptive analysis of the Italian top flight as we head into a new year. “The most difficult thing to do in this game,” said Francesco Pio Esposito on Sunday night, “is to stick the ball in the net.”
He was speaking in praise of his Inter teammate, Lautaro Martínez, whom he set up for the decisive goal in a 1-0 win away to Atalanta. Pio Esposito had barely entered as a second-half substitute when he was gifted possession by an opponent, Berat Djimsiti. Instead of taking the chance on himself, he froze the last defender and released Lautaro to score with a side-footed through-ball.
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Jacob Steinberg, Sam Dalling and John Brewin as Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all win at the top of the Premier League
Continue reading...Maxey sits 2nd in East in 1st All-Star fan voting returns originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Tyrese Maxey sure seems on track for his second NBA All-Star selection.
The Sixers’ franchise guard ranked second among Eastern Conference players in the first batch of fan voting returns released Monday with 1,072,449 votes. Maxey trailed only Giannis Antetokounmpo in the East and was directly in front of fellow guards Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham and Donovan Mitchell. Teammate Joel Embiid was in 17th place.
“Being here last year, I was blown away with how good he was,” Paul George said on Dec. 10, “how mature he was, how instinctive of a leader he was. And just to watch him grow over this year with how much better he’s gotten, it’s kind of like the sky’s the limit.”
Maxey’s one previous All-Star appearance came in the 2023-24 season. He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award that year, too.
Starters will be determined by a combination of fan voting (weighted at 50 percent), player voting (25 percent) and media panel voting (25 percent). Head coaches will choose seven reserves from each conference.
The 2026 All-Star Game is set for Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and will feature a new USA vs. World format.
Toby, 13, was in crowd when fourth seed lost
‘He has had hate from some trolls online’
Stephen Bunting has revealed his 13-year-old son has been a victim of online abuse. Toby Bunting was in the crowd at Alexandra Palace as his father, the fourth seed, was knocked out in the third round of the PDC World Championship by James Hurrell.
Bunting said in a post on X that his family have been hurt by the social media trolling. “Hi guys, sorry I’ve had a few days away from my socials, but I just needed a small bit of time after my game to recover and rest,” the 40-year-old wrote.
Continue reading...Macklin Celebrini recorded his 20th goal of the season and added an assist as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6–3 on Saturday night at Rogers Arena.
The North Vancouver native continued his strong run of form, extending his point streak to seven games with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) over that span. Celebrini has also been a consistent thorn in Vancouver’s side, registering at least one point in all five games he has played against the Canucks this season.
Igor Chernyshov scored the first NHL goal of his career and added an assist, while Collin Graf found the back of the net for a fourth consecutive game. Yaroslav Askarov turned aside 24 shots as the San Jose Sharks (18-17-3) snapped a three-game losing streak.
For Vancouver, Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each recorded two assists, and Thatcher Demko finished with 32 saves. The Canucks (15-19-3), who entered the game off a strong 4-1-0 road trip prior to the Christmas break, continued to struggle at Rogers Arena, where they have managed just four wins all season (4-11-1).
Ryan Reaves opened the scoring at 6:13 of the first period, snapping a 24-game goal drought by jamming home a loose puck behind Demko as the goaltender lunged to smother it with his blocker, giving the Sharks a 1–0 lead.
John Klingberg doubled the lead at 7:55, firing a point shot through heavy traffic after Celebrini won a clean offensive-zone faceoff back to the blue line.
Vancouver answered on the power play at 10:04, with Linus Karlsson finishing a backdoor tap-in off a crisp feed from Conor Garland to cut the deficit to 2–1.
The Sharks restored their two-goal cushion at 12:38 of the second period. Thatcher Demko denied Celebrini’s one-timer, but the rebound ricocheted off William Eklund at the top of the crease before Canucks center Marco Rossi inadvertently knocked the puck into his own net, resulting in Eklund being credited with the goal.
Rossi made amends early in the third period, scoring just 36 seconds in to cut the deficit to 3–2 by snapping a loose puck from the slot that glanced off Askarov’s blocker and in. It marked his first goal in six games since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild in the Dec. 12 trade that sent defenseman Quinn Hughes the other way.
Vancouver nearly pulled even moments later, successfully killing off a lengthy 5-on-3 for 52 seconds, but San Jose capitalized before the advantage expired. With nine seconds remaining on the second penalty, Chernyshov restored the two-goal cushion at 4:47, quickly snapping a feed from Adam Gaudette past Thatcher Demko after finding open space at the top of the crease. The goal was the first of Chernyshov’s NHL career, coming in just his fifth game.
The Canucks stayed within striking distance when Drew O’Connor scored short-handed on a 2-on-1 at 10:43, wiring a wrist shot to make it 4–3. Any momentum was short-lived, however, as Celebrini answered at 16:20, hammering a one-timer off a Chernyshov feed for his 20th goal of the season and a 5–3 Sharks lead.
While most of the Sharks arrived from San Jose earlier that day, Celebrini enjoyed a familiar setting in Vancouver, skating in the same building where he spent much of his childhood alongside his brother Aiden, now a Canucks defense prospect. With family in attendance following the holidays, the moment carried added significance for the North Vancouver native.
Chernyshov continued his strong start, now totaling five points in five games while spending most of his time alongside Celebrini. His size, puck protection, and instincts around the net have quickly translated to the NHL level, earning him trust in prime offensive situations.
Graf sealed the deal with an empty-net goal at 16:55, his fifth tally in four games, completing a 6–3 victory that featured goals from six different Sharks. The balanced scoring underscored San Jose’s depth, a key ingredient for sustained success.
Celebrini wasn’t the only Shark enjoying a homecoming. Defenseman Vincent Lori, a native of nearby Coquitlam, picked up an assist on Ryan Reaves’ opening goal and heard his name announced in the arena where he once skated as a child. With dozens of family members and friends in attendance, the night marked a fitting full-circle moment in his young NHL career.
JJ Redick called his players out. The Lakers answered.
The Lakers responded to three blowout losses and a spirited team meeting by playing one of their most complete games of the season Sunday to earn a 125-101 win over the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. For the first time this year, the Lakers (20-10) outscored their opponent in every quarter with Luka Doncic (34 points) and LeBron James (24 points) leading the way despite Austin Reaves’ absence.
“Hopefully,” forward Jake LaRavia said, “this is the first of a mini win streak.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Read more:After talking through problems, Lakers find unexpected third scorer to end losing streak
Nick Smith Jr. placed his newest souvenir nonchalantly underneath the news conference table. This game ball will likely go to his mother.
Smith earned it Sunday with a starring performance off the bench while filling in for the injured Reaves. The 21-year-old guard on a two-way contract scored 21 points on eight-for-14 shooting with three rebounds and one assist. He made five three-pointers, including his first four from beyond the arc while starting seven for seven from the field.
With Reaves sidelined for at least a month with a grade two strain in his left calf, Smith will be in line for more consistent minutes, Redick said before the game. Especially with fellow guard Gabe Vincent missing his fourth game because of a back injury Sunday, the Lakers need Smith’s ballhandling and shiftiness alongside James and Doncic.
But to offset the loss of their second-leading scorer, the Lakers are most desperate for Smith’s scoring.
“It's why we wanted him on the Lakers and part of our program, because we knew he could score,” Redick said. “I like when he's aggressive. … If he could just do him within our structure, a lot of times, good things happen.”
Smith has already flashed his scoring potential in big moments. The former first-round draft pick who signed with the Lakers a day before training camp started rescued the team with 25 points in Portland in a game without James, Doncic or Reaves. He had 12 points in 14 minutes off the bench against Toronto when the Lakers survived thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Rui Hachimura.
“We trust him,” Redick said before the game.
After getting waived by the Charlotte Hornets, Smith recognized that he hasn’t had this level of trust from a coaching staff “in a long time.” To have it “means everything,” he added.
“It's a different stage, you know, where I came from, and I understand that,” Smith said. “So I just want to make sure I'm ready. … I'm just blessed to be here, just have the opportunity just to even play with the Lakers and stuff like that, even be in the league. A lot of guys where I'm from would, like, love to be in this situation.”
It’s not just Reaves’ absence that is shaking up the Lakers rotation. Redick experimented with a new substitution pattern that could allow Doncic and James to individually lead the offense more often.
Doncic, who typically plays the entire first quarter, subbed out with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter Sunday. James kept his typical first-quarter pattern of playing roughly the first six minutes, sitting for three, then returning for the final three. Doncic would typically sit for the first five to six minutes of the second quarter, but returned Sunday at the 9:12 mark of the second.
“It just gives more time for those guys to sort of be the quarterback without the other one,” Redick said. “Having said that, we ran a lot of stuff for them to be in two-man action, for them to be part of the play together tonight. So it's not like we're trying to, like, keep them apart. It's just kind of the nature of what we're trying to do, and we're going to do this for the foreseeable future, and just see how it goes.”
Read more:Lakers 'recalibrate' after Austin Reaves injury, three-game losing streak
Pressed by Redick to set the tone for a better start after the Lakers struggled in first quarters of their three blowout losses, Doncic and James combined for 19 points in the first quarter. Doncic leads the league in scoring and first-quarter scoring, but instead wanted to focus on distributing the ball early. All of the Lakers starters had at least one shot in the first three minutes of the game.
“Just trying to get everybody involved more than I used to,” Doncic said. “Everybody got some shots up today. Just shows when we share the ball, when we move the ball, it’s great for us.”
The Lakers had 25 assists on 47 made shots Sunday. They are 19-4 when they have 23 or more assists and 1-6 with 22 or fewer.
The Lakers’ win over the struggling Kings (8-24) matters. It prevented the season from inching closer to disaster with a fourth consecutive loss. The defensive energy and effort, especially during a 13-2 run to start the third quarter, showed the team’s character in response to a deflating three-game skid.
But the win also doesn’t make a major statement. The Lakers improved to 13-3 against teams with losing records. They are just 7-7 against teams .500 or better. Those losses were by an average of 19.6 points.
Read more:Lakers guard Austin Reaves out for at least a month because of calf injury
Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons could be the statement game the Lakers are looking for.
The Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference with a 24-7 record, are the NBA’s second-best rebounding team behind only Houston. The Rockets just dominated the Lakers, outrebounding L.A. by 23 last Thursday.
“They play a good brand of basketball,” James said of the Pistons. “It’s that Detroit feeling again. So we got to be ready for that, and I think we should be.”
Center Jalen Duren is averaging a career high 18.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Former first-overall pick Cade Cunningham is also having a career season with 26.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Raphielle Johnson
Kurt Helin