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Lakers' Austin Reaves diagnosed with Grade 2 calf strain, will be re-evaluated in four weeks

JJ Redick may be about to get a lot more frustrated.

Austin Reaves, the Lakers' second-leading scorer, has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain — a calf strain — and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the team announced. With that timeline, he will miss at least the next 14 games. The injury happened on Christmas Day, when he did not play the second half in a loss to the Rockets because of it. This reportedly is separate from the calf strain that cost him three games earlier in the month.

Reaves has been playing at an All-Star level, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game this season, shooting 36.5% from 3-point range. He has proven he can carry the offense for a stretch when Luka Doncic is out.

This season, the Lakers outscore opponents by 3.1 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court and get outscored by 5.6 per 100 while he is off. With him out, more playmaking duties will fall to LeBron James and backup guards such as Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia.

The Lakers have lost three straight games, the last two by 20+ points to Houston on Christmas Day and Phoenix before that. The Lakers have gone 2-4 in their previous six games, with the worst defense in the league over that stretch. Reaves is a member of four of the five most-used Lakers lineups.

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Lakers guard Austin Reaves out for at least a month because of calf injury

Los Angeles, CA - November 02: Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) gestures during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves has a grade 2 strain of his left calf and will be out for approximately a month. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least a month with a grade 2 strain in his left calf, the team announced Friday, one day after he left the game against the Houston Rockets at halftime.

Reaves, averaging career highs in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2), had already missed three games with what the team called a “mild” calf strain. He returned off the bench while playing on a minutes restriction against Phoenix on Dec. 23 and reprised his starting role on Christmas Day in a loss to the Rockets. But after scoring 12 points in 15 minutes in the first half, he was ruled out for the second half with “left calf soreness.”

Calf injuries have been major concerns across the NBA since three stars — Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum — suffered Achilles tears during last year’s playoffs. Haliburton and Lillard have previously dealt with calf injuries.

Lakers star guard Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury on Christmas Day last year while with the Dallas Mavericks and missed two months, during which he was traded to the Lakers.

“I know how it is to go to a calf injury. It's not fun at all,” Doncic said Thursday after the game. “[I’ll] just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous so take your time.”

The Lakers (19-10) are losing their second-leading scorer at a critical time of the season. They have lost three consecutive games, their only losing streak of the season, and their defense in the last 15 games has been among the worst in the league.

Read more:'We don’t have it right now.' Takeaways from the Lakers' third straight loss

After the third consecutive blowout loss, coach JJ Redick questioned how much his players cared. He promised an “uncomfortable” film session and team meeting at practice on Saturday before the Lakers face Sacramento at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.

After a difficult stretch of the schedule that included eight out of 10 games against teams with winning records, the Lakers have four of their next five against teams in the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Outside of a home game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the Lakers play the Sacramento Kings, the Memphis Grizzlies (on Jan. 2 and 4) and at New Orleans on Jan. 6.

Reaves’ absence could extend until the beginning of the Lakers’ Grammy road trip that begins on Jan. 20 against Denver.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Dylan Larkin On The Verge Of Overtaking Sergei Fedorov In Red Wings History

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Detroit Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin is playing some of the best hockey of his career, and it's paying off incredible dividends for his club, which is now first overall in the Atlantic Division and tied for first place in the Eastern Conference. 

Considering where the Red Wings were in the standings one calendar year ago, it's a monumental improvement in their fortunes. 

Their most recent victory took place on Tuesday evening over the Dallas Stars at Little Caesars Arena, and it was Larkin who played a critical role in the outcome.

Larkin not only scored the game-tying goal late in the third period after a terrific pass from James van Riemsdyk, but he also scored the overtime game-winner for his 20th tally of Detroit's centennial campaign. 

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With the overtime goal, Larkin now has 11 in his career. He only needs one more to match the 12 scored by Sergei Fedorov for the most in franchise history. 

The Red Wings will be retiring the iconic No. 91 jersey number of Fedorov next month on Jan. 12. 

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There is no player on the Red Wings roster who more badly wants to bring Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to Little Caesars Arena for the first time in the venue's existence than Larkin.

Thanks to his contributions so far this season, they're that much closer to that goal, and would occupy the second overall seed in the Eastern Conference if the postseason were to begin today. 

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Frustrated Lakers coach JJ Redick: 'We don't care enough right now'

On Christmas Day the Lakers dropped their third straight game, an ugly 23-point loss to the Houston Rockets. That comes on the heels of a 24-point loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers are 2-4 in their last six with the worst defense in the NBA in that stretch with a -10.9 net rating in that stretch.

After the game, a frustrated JJ Redick vented at his team, with quotes via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

"We don't care enough right now," Redick said. "And that's the part that bothers you a lot. We don't care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don't care enough to be a professional...

"Saturday's practice — I told the guys — it's going to be uncomfortable," Redick said. "The meeting is going to be uncomfortable. I'm not doing another 53 games like this."

Redick made similar comments after the loss to the Suns days earlier, saying of his team's defense, "It comes down to just making the choice. It's making the choice."

Three quick thoughts.

1) It's understandable that Redick is frustrated with the losing and the play of his team lately. Lakers fans are, too. He's understandably frustrated with the athleticism gap between his team and some of the other top six teams in the West — such as Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City — but that is less about effort and more about the roster's construction. This is a team that waived Jordan Goodwin to clear roster space for veteran Marcus Smart, and Goodwin goes to Phoenix and thrives on an athletic roster.

2) The idea that the Lakers' biggest issue is just needing to play harder — "We don't care enough" or "it's making a choice" — both feels slightly outdated in today's high-paced NBA and is not going to play well in the locker room long-term. The "we just have to play harder" card is one a coach can only pull out once or twice a season, and Redick has pulled it out twice in the last week.

3) The Lakers roster was clearly going to struggle defensively even before the season tipped off — playing Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves (who is expected to miss time with calf soreness) and about-to-turn 41 LeBron James together was always going to be an issue. Dallas, a couple of years ago, showed the model for winning and reaching the NBA Finals with Luka Doncic — surrounding him with shooting, athleticism and defense — and the Lakers have not built to that model.

Redick isn't wrong trying to push his players, but the Lakers are what they are built to be. Redick can shift things around, but at the end of the game these are the cards he's been dealt. Welcome to coaching in the NBA.

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Manchester United 1-0 Newcastle: Premier League – as it happened

Patrick Dorgu scored a screamer as Manchester United rose to fifth in the Premier League table

The teams are out! It’s a heartwarming festive scene, because whenever these storied old clubs meet, both get to keep on their famous kits. Manchester United in red and black, Newcastle United in black and white. A classic look as everyone trots out to the strains of This Is The One. A poignant chime to the track tonight, Manchester having said farewell to one of United’s biggest fans earlier this week. Go well, Mani.

Our pre-match postbag is positively brimming with festive cheer. “A goal-glut for the ages, eh? Why do I feel like I’m in for the biggest Christmas let-down since I asked my da for the Barcelona Subbuteo team and opened up the box under the tree to find… Burnley? Yours, Scrooge and the Grinch” – Justin Kavanagh

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Observations after Sixers falter down stretch, open road trip with loss to Bulls

Observations after Sixers falter down stretch, open road trip with loss to Bulls originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers were thoroughly outplayed in crunch time Friday night in Chicago.

They kicked off a five-game road trip by faltering late in the fourth quarter and dropping a 109-102 contest to the Bulls.

Chicago extended its winning streak to five games and moved to 15-15 overall. The Sixers dipped to 16-13. They’ll face the Thunder on Sunday afternoon.

Joel Embiid scored 31 points and Tyrese Maxey added 27. 

The Bulls had six double-figure scorers. Zach Collins and Tre Jones posted 15 points each. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ loss to the Bulls:

Three key pieces back in action 

VJ Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes were back in the fold after all three players missed the Sixers’ loss Tuesday to Nets because of an illness. 

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had highlighted that his team felt the absence of that trio’s considerable collective athleticism. Their boost was noticeable right away in Chicago. 

Edgecombe opened the game guarding Josh Giddey and Barlow defended Matas Buzelis. Both Edgecombe and Barlow featured in the Sixers’ strong start. Barlow had an early put-back layup and Edgecombe turned a steal into an easy slam. Two free throws apiece by Edgecombe and Barlow gave the Sixers a 13-2 lead.

Grimes scored a slick bucket on the Sixers’ last possession of the first quarter, gliding along the baseline and converting a graceful reverse layup. 

Boards help Sixers offset more shooting troubles

Maxey sunk a long-range jumper for the night’s first points. He was coming off of his worst shooting game of the season, a 3-for-14 outing vs. Brooklyn.

Seeing one drop didn’t spell an immediate return to form; Maxey missed his next six field goals. As a team, the Sixers started 1 for 13 beyond the arc. 

Their early superiority on the glass mitigated those shooting struggles. The Sixers grabbed the game’s first six offensive rebounds and scored the first nine second-chance points. Paul George reached a new season high in rebounds by the end of the first half. He finished with 12 rebounds — his most in a game since 2021
— and also tallied 15 points on 5-for-15 shooting and five assists. 

The Sixers have improved substantially on the offensive boards so far this season. According to Cleaning the Glass, they entered Friday night ranked eighth in the NBA in offensive rebounding rate. 

Bulls dominate off the bench, down the stretch

With Maxey, George and Embiid all sitting, the Sixers’ defense was very leaky in the first few minutes of the second quarter. Chicago routinely had the Sixers on their heels and created high-quality looks in the half court with little resistance. Ayo Dosunmu’s wide-open corner three put the Bulls up 41-30. 

The Sixers’ stars prevented that deficit from growing.

Embiid had another efficient, aggressive first quarter offensively and also churned out plenty of points in the second and third. Maxey eventually rediscovered his jumper to some extent, knocking down five threes. He wound up 9 for 24 from the field.

Chicago leaned heavily on its bench and got a ton of production. The Bulls’ second unit racked up 59 points. On the other side, Nurse tried a variety of bench options and ultimately used 11 players. No Sixers bench player did much in the scoring department. Overall, the team’s second unit had just 12 points on 5-for-19 shooting.

The Sixers and Bulls traded runs throughout the night. Thanks to threes from George and Maxey late in the third quarter, the Sixers held an 85-81 edge going into the fourth.

Like so many Sixers games this year, the contest came down to the final minutes. The Sixers went up 102-99 with 2:45 to play when Embiid scored on Nikola Vucevic in the post.

The Bulls then closed the evening with a 10-0 spurt, making all the clutch plays and out-hustling the Sixers on several occasions.

Jalen Smith jammed in a huge dunk over Embiid and Coby White nailed a step-back three on the Sixers’ superstar big man. Jones scored inside after the 6-foot-1 guard somehow snagged two offensive boards on one possession.

Offensively, the Sixers appeared rushed and panicky at times as Chicago seized control of the game. No one had any answers to stop the bleeding.

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Patrick Dorgu volley powers Manchester United into fifth as Newcastle misfire

Boxing Day’s sole Premier League fixture tingled the senses and was graced by Patrick Dorgu’s finish that moved Manchester United up to a season-high fifth.

They could – and maybe should – have been limited to a draw because Newcastle United dominated the second period. The visitor’s problem was a lack of teeth. Towards the end Joelinton pulled the trigger with the goal begging but drilled only into Senne Lammens’ gloves. Joe Willock did the same with a cross. Then, Anthony Gordon spurned one more clear chance.

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2025-26 NBA MVP Ladder, Race, Odds, power rankings, frontrunners including Nikola Jokic overtaking SGA

The NBA's MVP race has a new leader in the clubhouse, and it's a familiar face, Nikola Jokic. After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City lost to San Antonio on Christmas Day, marking a third-straight loss to the Spurs, and Denver's epic OT win on the back of Jokic's record-breaking Christmas performance — it's quite easy to see why the odds have shifted.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Vaughn Dalzell‘s Week 10 MVP Rankings

Denver Nuggets Primary Logo
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+120)
Points Per Game: 29.8 (5th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.1 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 11.0 (1st)

We have a new No. 1 in the building and no surprise, it's Nikola Jokic! His stock has been trending alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's as the No. 2 option all season long and it will likely go back-and-forth a few more times. However, this is Jokic's time to be the leader.

The Joker went bananas with 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 142-138 OT win versus Minnesota on Christmas Day. Denver won that game despite being down three starters and what's more impressive was Jokic scoring 18 points in OT! Those 18 OT points broke Steph Curry's record of 17 points in 2016.

Oklahoma City Thunder Primary Logo
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+125)
Points Per Game: 32.1 (2nd)
Assists Per Game: 6.5 (17th)
Rebounds Per Game: 4.9 RPG (89th)

The Thunder have dropped back-to-back games for the first time all season, plus lost three of the past four, and are 2-4 over the previous six. Nothing has gone right for the Thunder, especially if it includes the Spurs who beat them three times over the last six games.

It's hard to defend the Thunder as the best team right now or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the rightful MVP favorite. SGA is still playing at an extremely high level, scoring 30 points in four of the past five, shooting at ridiculous clips, but the winning hasn't come lately, so the door is open for Nikola Jokic and Denver.

Los Angeles Lakers Primary Logo
3. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+700)
Points Per Game: 33.7 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 8.7 (4th)
Rebounds Per Game: 8.5 (20th)

Luka Doncic has missed three games in December, but balled out in the other seven. Doncic is averaging 30.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in December. but scored 12 and 25 points in the past two.

Los Angeles has lost the past two with Doncic and three games overall. The offense has suffered one of its worst stretches of the season, ranking 27th in offensive rating over the last three and 15th in all of December.

Detroit Pistons Primary Logo
4. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (+8000)
Points Per Game: 26.4 (12th)
Rebounds Per Game: 6.4 (T-46th)
Assists Per Game: 9.4 (2nd)

Over the last two weeks, Cade Cunningham's odds shifted negatively from +5500 to +8000 due to his low scoring output. Cunningham averaged 22.2 points in December, which is a monthly-low on the season, but did post 9.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. Through those 10 games, Detroit has gone 8-2 in that span and still leads the Eastern Conference with a 24-6 record.

New York Knicks Primary Logo
5. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (+15000)
Points Per Game: 29.3 (8th)
Rebounds Per Game: 3.3 (150th+)
Assists Per Game: 6.5 (16th)

Jalen Brunson is about to close off a strong December. The Knicks star has averaged 30.7 points, 6.9 assists and shot 47.9% from the field and 39.8% from deep through 11 games. New York's December will be remembered for their cup win over San Antonio, who beat Oklahoma City to get there. The Knicks have solidified themselves as a top two team in the East (No. 1 for me).

Stock Up

Denver Nuggets Primary Logo
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+120)
Points Per Game: 29.8 (5th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.1 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 11.0 (1st)

Nikola Jokic did everything he could to boost his stock on Christmas Day and it worked. Jokic has overtaken Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time at all sports books, and while it's only a $5 difference between a $100 bet — a lead is a lead.

Starting on Dec. 27, Denver goes on a seven-game road trip that ends on Jan. 7. The Nuggets start in Orlando and finish the trip in Boston. Success on their longest road trip of the season is either a trampoline for Jokic's odds or a worst case scenario if they end up with a losing record or close to it through seven games.

Stock Down

San Antonio Spurs Primary Logo
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (+15000)
Points Per Game: 26.2 (14th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.9 (2nd)
Blocks Per Game: 3.6 (1st)

Despite beating the Thunder three times and winning on Christmas, Victor Wembanyama's MVP odds have faded toward 150-to-1. With Wembanyama coming off the bench, his case isn't as strong since no MVP has likely ever done that for a part of the season, but the Spurs are 6-1 since he's returned and won five straight.

Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and 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.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Championship roundup: Wrexham stun Sheffield United in eight-goal thriller

  • Wrexham roar back to win 5-3; Coventry stretch lead

  • Ipswich and Millwall draw; Bristol City beat Albion

Kieffer Moore struck twice against his old club as Wrexham recovered from 3-1 down to beat Sheffield United 5-3 in a late afternoon Boxing Day thriller at STōK Cae Ras. Patrick Bamford had looked like stealing the headlines with a well-taken early double for the visitors but Wrexham powered back to claim their first win in six league outings.

With his short-term contract due to expire on New Year’s Day, Bamford put himself in the shop window as he scored either side of a Tyler Bindon own goal. Callum O’Hare added a third for Chris Wilder’s side but Wrexham responded through Moore and levelled through Ryan Longman. Moore put them ahead for the first time and a Josh Windass penalty completed the fightback.

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