Reporting Articles - Page 439

Stop me if you’ve heard this: anonymous NBA executives are complaining about the Los Angeles Lakers. This time, it’s about the treatment LeBron James received after breaching the league’s COVID-19 protocols. Specifically, execs voiced their displeasure about the discrepancy between how James’s violation was disciplined compared to Dallas Mavericks big-man Kristaps Porzingis. LeBron was publicly […]

Well, here we are. The LA Clippers, the four-seed in the Western Conference with the third highest odds to win the NBA championship entering this postseason, are trailing the five-seed Dallas Mavericks 0-2 in the first round of the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard has been good. Paul George has been good. It hasn’t mattered, because Luka […]

The Los Angeles Lakers relied on “championship DNA”, crunch-time execution, and increased assertiveness and focus — namely from their two stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis — to take back home-court advantage from the Phoenix Suns and even their first-round series at 1-1. "It's about championship DNA and we got that." @KingJames talks with @LakersReporter […]

LOS ANGELES — If you didn’t think Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the Los Angeles Clippers were in trouble after dropping Game 1 to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, you surely think so following their Game 2 loss on Tuesday night. Doncic once again led Dallas to a stunning win in […]

LeBron James and Anthony Davis played like superstars in the Los Angeles Lakers’ “must-win” 109-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday to take home-court advantage and tie the first-round series at 1-1. Two days after an uninspired Game 1 showing — from LeBron, the Lakers collective, and Davis in particular — Los Angeles responded exactly how […]

The Los Angeles Lakers had far from their best stuff against the Phoenix Suns in Game 1. L.A. couldn’t hit a shot nor match the energy of their opponent, while LeBron James and Anthony Davis were outclassed by Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Despite Chris Paul’s injury and dangerous actions (everyone should be ready for […]

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope offered a simple explanation for the Los Angeles Lakers’ uninspired 99-90 Game 1 loss to the Phoenix Suns, which tipped off at 12:30 p.m. PT on Sunday. “We’ve gotta come out with a sense of urgency,” the 3-and-D wing said following Lakers’ practice on Monday. “We knew they were gonna come out strong. […]

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard was hardly the primary defender on Luka Doncic during the Los Angeles Clippers’ Game 1 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon. Expect that to change come Tuesday night for Game 2, says head coach Tyronn Lue. Doncic lit the Clippers up for 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, […]

The Charlotte Hornets did not end their season the way they anticipated with an ugly loss to the Indiana Pacers in the play-in tournament, but it was a special one regardless. The Hornets were fun to watch and have a bright future ahead of them thanks to the dynamite play of Rookie of the Year […]

Considering the stakes and the performance of his counterpart, Anthony Davis may have had his worst game as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in his team’s Game 1 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Instead of dominating a 22-year old DeAndre Ayton — as many (like me) expected after his electric two-way […]

The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 to the Phoenix Suns, 99-90. Heading into the series, one of the main points of intrigue was the first career playoff meeting between LeBron James and Chris Paul — the longtime friends and respective orchestrators for each team. However, on Sunday, the anticipated chess match became less about […]

Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns tip off one of the more unique No. 7 vs. No. 2 series in NBA history. Let’s set the stage for the first career postseason matchup between LeBron James and Chris Paul. Season Series Phoenix took two of three matchups, but that’s hardly indicative of, well, anything. […]

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder has not looked the same since returning from spending 10 days in the league’s health and safety protocols. Conversely, Alex Caruso has been superb, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remains the most underrated player on the team. In Los Angeles’ first-round series against the Point God, Chris Paul, and the […]

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors failed to make the first round of the NBA playoffs for the second year in a row. However, there are plenty of positives the franchise can take from the up-and-down season. Andrew Wiggins posted career highs in field goal and three-point percentage. He averaged 18.6 points per game […]

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James violated the NBA’s health and safety protocols by attending an event on Monday, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Per McMenamin, via a league spokesperson: James was one of several high-profile guests present at a promotional event for Lobos 1707, a tequila brand he backs, earlier this week before the […]

When the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns begin their first-round series on Sunday, it will mark the first postseason matchup between LeBron James and Chris Paul. However, James has competed against (and played with) two of the game’s great thinkers — Draymond Green and Rajon Rondo — numerous times in the postseason. During Friday’s […]

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James refused to confirm nor deny whether he has received the COVID-19 vaccine. James was asked about the vaccine during his post-practice media availability on Friday afternoon, two days before the Lakers’ Game 1 matchup with the Phoenix Suns. Here’s the full exchange between James and Kyle Goon of the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers are aiming to become the first team to win a championship from a bottom-two seed. Or, as Jared Dudley described their tall order: “The hardest challenge any team has ever had in NBA history.” Los Angeles, of course, is not your average 7-seed. The Lakers are coming off a title, and […]

The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors played the greatest play-in game in NBA history. We can safely say that after LeBron James’ heroics lifted Los Angeles to a thrilling win over Stephen Curry and Golden State at Staples Center on Wednesday. The Lakers secured the no. 7 seed, earning a more favorable road […]

The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers play-in matchup will mark the first high-stakes meeting between LeBron James and Stephen Curry since the 2018 Finals. Nature is healing. “Our paths have been crossed again,” the Lakers star said. “It’s always been a respect, a level of respect that’s even beyond the game of basketball. […]

Los Angeles Lakers All-Star big-man Anthony Davis is ready to slide to center for the play-in matchup against the Golden State Warriors. For the second consecutive year since Davis arrived in Los Angeles, the 6’11 superstar has spent most of his (healthy) regular season at power forward, while a combination of Andre Drummond and Marc […]

Two days after LeBron James endorsed Stephen Curry for MVP, the Los Angeles Lakers showered Curry with similar respect ahead of their play-in game against the Golden State Warriors. “He’s carrying his team,” Anthony Davis said in his post-practice Zoom. “Everyone counted the Warriors out, and he’s doing everything he could to lead the team […]

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will be ready for the play-in game vs. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at Staples Center, Frank Vogel confirmed. In his post-practice Zoom on Tuesday, the Lakers head coach said LeBron experienced predictable soreness in his right ankle after playing back-to-back games this weekend. He […]

LeBron James surprisingly endorsed longtime rival Stephen Curry for 2020-21 NBA MVP — moments after a play-in matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors was officially set. “We’re playing, in my opinion, the MVP of our league this year in Steph,” James said following the Lakers’ regular-season finale against the New Orleans […]

San Francisco, CA – The Golden State Warriors clinch the 8-seed in the play-in tournament behind another electric performance from the 2020-21 scoring champion Stephen Curry, who dropped a game-high 46 points on Sunday. This game was Curry’s first-ever matchup against reigning rookie of the year Ja Morant. Curry, a much-improved defender, guarded Morant more […]

The bad news: The Charlotte Hornets and LaMelo Ball have to win two postseason games to reach the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, instead of one. The good news: They still get a taste of genuine playoff pressure, a catalyst for future development. Taking the bad with the good is a clear focus […]

The Los Angeles Clippers will enter the 2021 postseason with higher expectations than last season. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Tyronn Lue’s team is healthy and playing together at the right time. With only one game remaining — Sunday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder — the Clippers have two teams they can face in the […]

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wants Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction of Kobe Bryant to be a celebration of the lasting legacy and storied career of the Lakers legend  — along with two of Bryant’s fellow inductees, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. “It’s a celebration of greats,” James said in his on-court interview with […]

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder returned from his second stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Saturday, and he gave a couple of testy and confounding responses when asked about his COVID-19-related absence. Back in February, the Lakers went 0-4 as Schröder quarantined from his guest house due to contact tracing. […]

LeBron James provided a positive report after returning from a six-game absence to deliver the Los Angeles Lakers (41-30) a crucial win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. James dropped 24 points on 11-of-22 shooting to go along with eight assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. The Lakers held on to win 112-115, keeping […]

Today, Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Across 20 seasons, five championships, and 220 playoff games for the NBA’s most glamorous franchise, Bryant produced as many iconic moments as perhaps any player in basketball history — including Michael Jordan, who will present Bryant into […]

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – It was a night without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins for the Golden State Warriors. However, it was also a night Dub Nation added another victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. With the win, the team improved to 38-33 during the regular season with just one game remaining. Second-year […]

Fittingly, the Los Angeles Lakers are entering the final weekend of the regular season with uncertainty surrounding LeBron James and Anthony Davis. L.A. is traveling East for a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers (Sat. 10 a.m. PT) and New Orleans Pelicans (Sun. 6 p.m. PT). In his post-practice Zoom before heading to the plane, Lakers […]

Anthony Davis recounted a personal favorite memory of Kobe Bryant — one day before the Los Angeles Lakers legend is set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In his post-practice Zoom with reporters on Friday, Davis recalled a Jan. 2015 game between AD’s New Orleans Pelicans and the Lakers, in […]

When Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, he’ll be honored in the museum with more than the usual plaque. Bryant will receive a stand-alone exhibit in the Hall, designed, in part, by his wife, Vanessa Bryant. According to Andrew Greif of the Los […]

On Saturday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will belatedly induct the Class of 2020 (including Kobe Bryant) and announce the Class of 2021. The crop of finalists, obviously, is a decorated list of players and coaches, including nine first-timers: Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Rick Adelman, Yolanda Griffith, Bill Russell (as a coach), Lauren […]

The Los Angeles Lakers benefited from two officiating mistakes in the final minutes of their nail-biting 124-122 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, according to the Last Two Minute Report released by the NBA. In total, the L2M report points out three moments where game officials — John Goble, Curtis Blair, and Eric Dalen […]

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder is ready to return. That’s according to Schroder, who posted an Instagram on Thursday with the caption “I’m back.” Dennis Schroder: “I’m back” pic.twitter.com/N3bbuOWSTX — Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvo_) May 13, 2021 Schroder has missed the past seven games after being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols […]

At this point, the best-case scenario for the Los Angeles Lakers is to earn the No. 6 seed — an outcome that Frank Vogel admitted “looks unlikely” on Sunday, and remains so after the team’s LeBron James- and Anthony Davis-less win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Kuzma absolutely bails out anyone who had the […]