Why this column stuck with me: I chose “I’m Fighting Parkinson’s One Punch At A Time” because it was a story that took four years to write but one that has resonated immediately and endlessly.
When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the winter of 2021, I decided to keep the diagnosis a secret. Initially I didn’t even tell my own three children. I didn’t want people feeling sorry for me, or looking at me differently or, worse, treating me differently. I wanted to continue with my normal life while fighting the disease in private.
As part of this fight, I attended a boxing class for Parkinson’s patients. The class was filled with 80-year-old women pounding on a heavy bag, 75-year-old men dancing across the floor, elderly and trembling people working hard to stave off the effects of PD. They quickly became my heroes, and deserved to be illuminated as inspirations to others. I finally realized that I could tell their story and maybe push others to come out of the PD shadows and seek the same therapy.
And, well, if I was going to write about others with Parkinson’s disease, I would have to come clean about myself. So, with help from boxing instructor Jody Hould and sports editor Iliana Limón Romero, I did. And I’m glad I did. I’ve since heard from countless people that the story moved them to admit their illness and begin boxing therapy or other types of PD workouts. My diagnosis was a punch in the gut. But thanks in part to the encouragement that came from this story, I’m fighting back.
Welcome back to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where we’re making our interview lists and checking them twice. I have something to share: I never celebrated Christmas growing up. We didn’t do presents, trees, decorating or any of that.
What we did was basketball.
From spending Christmas Day eating my mom’s home-cooked meals and watching the NBA, I will now be at Crypto.com Arena covering the game my parents will inevitably ask about later. Talk about a special holiday gift.
All things Lakers, all the time.
LeBron James rounds into form
At this stage of LeBron James’ career, it’s not enough to just evaluate the Lakers superstar’s performance in a vacuum. So when coach JJ Redick was asked in Utah before James played his 10th game of the season whether the 21-time All-NBA honoree was “looking more like himself,” Redick didn’t have a straightforward answer.
“Well, I think you have to contextualize it,” Redick told reporters. “[He’s] ‘looking like himself’ as a 41-year-old coming off [a knee injury] and sciatica.”
Redick is premature in calling James a 41-year-old — his birthday is not until next week — but James is at least back to a version of himself. About a month since his season debut, James is starting to round into form, moving past the informal training camp and preseason period after sciatica kept him out all offseason.
James is averaging 27.6 points, 6.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the last five games during which the Lakers (19-8) went 3-2. His shooting percentage improved to 53.8% compared to 41.3% in his first six games.
But James is in a new era of his play. His usage rate is the lowest it’s ever been. Redick commended the superstar’s willingness to play off the ball more with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves emerging as the team’s primary ballhandling options.
There are moments when James’ age is showing. A second jump that isn’t as quick as it once was. A dunk that looks more deliberate than explosive. Then he turns back the clock by bulldozing Luke Kornet on a vicious one-handed dunk. James, always one of the league’s best in transition, still leads the Lakers with 6.4 transition points per game.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks over San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 10.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“The thing about LeBron — it’s why he’s so great — is he can play with anybody,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “So it doesn’t matter who’s on the floor, but he’s always going to be effective.”
James showed he can still carry the team for stretches when Doncic suffered a left leg bruise during the first half against the Clippers, and the shorthanded Lakers, who entered the game without three starters, still chopped the Clippers’ 22-point lead to seven in the fourth quarter.
Doncic (leg) will remain out for Tuesday’s game against Phoenix, along with Rui Hachimura (groin) and Gabe Vincent (back). Reaves (calf) is questionable as his absence has surpassed one week.
The Lakers have been short at least one player for almost every game this season, Deandre Ayton pointed out Monday after practice as he prepared to return from a two-game absence because of an elbow injury. The injuries, highlighted by James’ 14-game absence, has made Redick feel like this team’s primary identity at the quarter mark of the season is “chaos.”
Yet leadership from players such as James has helped the Lakers find calm amid the confusion.
“This is not a quiet team,” Ayton said. “… We communicate. That’s what brings closure, where you know the guy might not be out there, or superstars might not be out there, but they with us in spirit.”
James was a vocal leader even while injured. When he returned to the court, his energy was infectious in practice, Reaves said, who often marvels at how James, despite playing in a record 23rd NBA season, still feels like one of the biggest kids in the gym.
So a month after his return, when asked in Utah about how James looked in the context of his age and recent injury history, Redick didn’t hesitate to follow up.
“Pretty damn good,” Redick said.
Holiday spirit
Lakers star LeBron James stands on the court during player introductions before a game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 18.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
While the NFL tried to use Beyoncé to take over Christmas last year, the games were all laughers. The NBA, meanwhile, planted its flag with a thrilling slate that had four of five games decided by six or fewer points.
“I love the NFL,” James said into the ABC camera last year after the Lakers won a 115-113 nail-biter over the Golden State Warriors. “But Christmas is our day.”
The Lakers are playing on Christmas for the 27th season in a row. James is slated for his 20th Christmas Day game, but even he’s grown tired of his personal tradition.
“I’d much rather be at home with my family,” James said. “But it’s the game. It’s the game I love. It’s the game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest to play the game on Christmas. It’s always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I’m going to be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called, our numbers are called, so we have to go out and perform. And I look forward to it.”
The Lakers are 25-26 on Christmas Day. This year’s lineup is delicious. The Lakers at home against Houston — the only team in the league besides Oklahoma City ranked in the top five in offensive and defensive rating — is the prime-time entree. The 11:30 a.m. PST appetizer between San Antonio and Oklahoma City could be the star of the night.
Outside of James’ slightly Grinchy mood about playing, the Lakers were getting into the holiday spirit last week. Doncic gifted e-bikes to everyone in the organization, 103 in total. Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes held charity events. Vanderbilt and his foundation held a holiday giveback at the Boys & Girls Club last Friday while Hayes had giveaways in Compton and his native Cincinnati.
“Stuff like that just fills my heart up and makes me feel better,” Hayes said. “… Stuff like that, I just feel like it’s why God put us here, we’re here to help others.”
On tap
Records and stats current entering Monday’s games
Dec. 23 at Suns (15-13), 6 p.m. PST
Nine days after the Lakers barely survived a dramatic fourth-quarter Phoenix comeback attempt, the Lakers and Suns run it back. In the midst of a challenging portion of their schedule that featured games against Western Conference front-runners Oklahoma City, Denver and Houston, the Suns have lost seven of their last nine games, including three of their last four.
Dec. 25 vs. Rockets (17-9), 5 p.m.
Entering Monday’s game against the Clippers, the Rockets lost three of their last four games. All the losses — to Denver, New Orleans and Sacramento — came in overtime. Kevin Durant is averaging 25.3 points while center Alperen Sengun is putting together a career year with 23.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists.
Dec. 28 vs. Kings (7-22), 6:30 p.m.
The Kings scored an improbable victory over the Rockets to break a six-game losing streak but remain in the Western Conference cellar. The Lakers needed a career-high 51 points from Austin Reaves to survive against the Kings on Oct. 26 without Doncic or James.
Status report
Lakers star Luka Doncic controls the ball during a loss to the Clippers on Dec. 20. Doncic sustained a left leg contusion in the game.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic: left leg contusion
Doncic suffered the injury when he was kneed in the leg by the Clippers’ Bogdan Bogdanovic. He sat out of the second half and was seen on the practice court Monday with a wrap around his left calf. He is out for Phoenix, but is day to day.
Austin Reaves: left calf strain
Reaves was a partial participant in practice Monday and remained day to day. He passed the initial estimated one-week mark since being diagnosed with a mild left calf strain on Dec. 12.
Deandre Ayton: right elbow soreness
The center appeared to suffer the injury when he got tangled up with Phoenix’s Mark Williams on Dec. 14 and missed two games but will return against the Suns on Tuesday.
Rui Hachimura: right groin soreness
Redick said Hachimura started feeling pain in his hip after the game at Utah on Dec. 18. The coach expects Hachimura to be sidelined for three to five days, which leaves a Christmas Day return possible.
Gabe Vincent: low back soreness
Vincent will not be reevaluated until at least Christmas after a back issue first popped up before the game at Utah.
Favorite thing I ate this week
A meal worth savoring at Santa Monica’s Elephante: (clockwise from top) the pizza bianco, vodka sauce pasta and squash agnolotti.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I finally crossed an essential L.A. dining experience off of my list this week. I visited Elephante in Santa Monica and very much understand the appeal.
Everyone talks about the whipped eggplant, which we got, but the vodka sauce pasta was my favorite because the pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce had a slight smoky kick from the Calabrian chile. We also ordered the pizzo bianco, which is finished with a drizzle of hot honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. An order of the squash agnolotti pasta that features sage, brown butter and walnut pesto completed the spread.
Are top-drawer college football teams and their name, image and likeness collectives simply trying to protect themselves from willy-nilly transfers or are they bullying players to stay put with threats of lawsuits?
Adding liquidated damage fee clauses to NIL contracts became all the rage in 2025, a year that will be remembered as the first time players have been paid directly by schools. But some experts say such fees cannot be used as a cudgel to punish players that break a contract and transfer.
It’s no surprise that the issue has resulted in a lawsuit — make that two lawsuits — before the calendar flipped to 2026.
Less than a month after Georgia filed a lawsuit against defensive end Damon Wilson II to obtain $390,000 in damages because he transferred to Missouri, Wilson went to court himself, claiming Georgia is misusing the liquidated damages clause to “punish Wilson for entering the portal.”
Wilson’s countersuit in Boone County, Mo., says he was among a small group of Bulldog stars pressured into signing the contract Dec. 21, 2024. The lawsuit also claims that Wilson was misused as an elite pass rusher, that the Georgia defensive scheme called for him to drop back into pass coverage. Wilson, who will be a senior next fall, led Missouri with nine sacks this season.
Georgia paid Wilson $30,000, the first monthly installment of his $500,000 NIL deal, before he entered the transfer portal on Jan. 6, four days after Georgia lost to Notre Dame in a College Football Playoffs quarterfinal.
Bulldogs brass was not pleased. Wilson alleges in his lawsuit that Georgia dragged its feet in putting his name in the portal and spread misinformation to other schools about him and his contractual obligations.
“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” Georgia spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement after the school filed the lawsuit.
Wilson’s countersuit turned that comment on its head, claiming it injured his reputation because it implies he was dishonest. He is seeking unspecified damages in addition to not owing the Bulldogs anything. Georgia’s lawsuit asked that the dispute be resolved through arbitration.
A liquidated damage fee is a predetermined amount of money written into a contract that one party pays the other for specific breaches. The fee is intended to provide a fair estimate of anticipated losses when actual damages are difficult to calculate, and cannot be used to punish one party for breaking the contract.
Wilson’s case could have far-reaching implications because it is the first that could determine whether schools can enforce liquidated damage clauses. While it could be understandable that schools want to protect themselves from players transferring soon after receiving NIL money, legal experts say liquidated damage fees might not be the proper way to do so.
Former professional poker player James Bord has been chosen as the preferred bidder to take over Sheffield Wednesday, BBC Sport can confirm.
The Owls have been in administration since October, ending 10 years under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri.
On Wednesday, the troubled Championship club’s administrators announced a deal had been reached with a potential buyer.
London-born Bord started his career working for gambling firms Starlizard and Smartodds before winning $4.3m (£3.18m) on the poker circuit.
He now runs data company Short Circuit Science, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) for sports analytics and was involved in an advisory role to COH Sports after its takeover of Sheffield United in the summer, though he now has no connection to the Owls’ rivals.
Under the banner of Park Bench SFC LLC, Bord also has a stake in Spanish Segunda Division side Cordoba CF and Bulgarian club Septemvri Sofia.
Bord, who is based in Las Vegas, has owned Dunfermline along with partner Evan Sofer for almost a year. He attended his first game in person at the weekend, a 3-2 home loss to Ayr United.
At present it is unclear who is part of Bord’s consortium to buy Wednesday, who are bottom of the Championship table on -9 points due to deductions, or if it will be part of Park Bench SFC LLC.
The Bord bid still has to pass the EFL’s Owners and Directors’ test, which may have some hurdles to overcome due to his past involvement in gambling.
Everyone seemed to know in the first quarter of the Southern Section Division 1 final at the Rose Bowl what Santa Margarita High was going to do again and again — get the ball into the hands of Trent Mosley.
Every offensive play in the opening 12 minutes by Santa Margarita involved a pass or a run by Mosley.
“Why not?” quarterback Trace Johnson said.
In the end, Santa Margarita defeated Corona Centennial 42-7 with Mosley scoring four touchdowns and catching 10 passes for a stunning 292 yards. Two weeks later, he made 11 catches for 183 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 47-13 win over De La Salle in the CIF Open Division state championship bowl win.
It was the culmination of a return to greatness for Mosley, who was the Trinity League player of the year as a sophomore, then was slowed by injuries last season. He finally got healthy this season after an injury in the opening game, and every opponent knew the challenge he presented.
Mosley has been selected The Times’ football player of the year in the Southland.
Trent Mosley raises the Southern Section Division 1 championship trophy won by Santa Margarita at the Rose Bowl.
(Craig Weston)
There’s little doubt where his talent comes from — it’s in his genes. His mother, Cindy, was the Heisman Trophy winner for soccer at Notre Dame. His father, Emmett, played football at Notre Dame. His sister, Jalyn, played soccer at Iowa. His brother, Emmett, is a receiver at Texas. Younger brother Grant is another top receiver at Santa Margarita. The three brothers used to see who was most competitive.
Highlights of Trent Mosley zigging and zagging and playing at a different level in his final high school game for Santa Margarita. Courtesy Interscholastic Films. pic.twitter.com/VFo9IC4xk7
“Usually my basketball games with my brothers would end up in fights. Video games, fights,” Trent said. “Blessed to have the experience and their guidance.”
There’s not a sport or position Mosley can’t master. He used to love playing lacrosse, and his versatility is his super power. When he shows up to USC, his college choice, the Trojans will have plenty of plans on how to use him, whether it’s receiver, wildcat quarterback, returning punts or kickoffs.
Centennial coach Matt Logan called him “phenomenal.” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said, “Good lord.”
Mosley added additional speed this season that led to even more big plays and showed what he can do when healthy.
“The gifts I’ve been given by God, working out with offseason speed training and also playing lacrosse two years ago — all that coming together produces what I can do now,” he said.
After Friday afternoon’s practice, USC football coach Lincoln Riley said he had no update on D’Anton Lynn, who has been the target of Penn State’s defensive coordinator search.
Penn State showed interest in Lynn last year before he received a contract extension from USC. Lynn was hired by the Trojans after a successful season as the defensive coordinator at UCLA.
“This is what happens this time of year, especially when you have a really good staff and are doing a lot of positive things,” Riley said. “We’re excited about having the opportunity to keep continuity but if there is turnover, not just with that position but any position, these are coveted jobs. It’s just part of the world we live in.
“Obviously, D’Anton has done a really good job here and we’ll see how it turns out.”
Being prepared for change is a must in the current college football climate, Riley said.
“Contingency plans for coaches, players, staff, everyone because so much can and does change,” Riley said. “Our job is to be prepared and have flexibility. You can’t always predict everything that’s going to happen but you have to be ready to adjust. Yeah, every team goes through it on some level and you try to handle it as well as you can.”
Riley has liked what he has seen in practice as USC (9-3) prepares for its Alamo Bowl matchup against Texas Christian on Dec. 30.
“We’ve done a really good job the last couple of years of going to work and we’re not thinking about what players or coaches are here or aren’t here,” Riley said. “It’s all about trying to maximize this time and build for the future.”
USC announced Tuesday that redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava had re-signed for the upcoming season and is not joining Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane — USC’s two best receivers — in declaring for the 2026 NFL draft.
“It’s great. Anytime you can get a returning guy like that who has played a good amount of football, it’s important,” Riley said of Maiava. “He’s also become a good leader in this program and I’d expect that to continue to improve. The majority of this team has already re-signed, we know those guys are going to be here and it’s cool for those guys to show how much they believe in this place and what we’re doing.
“The exciting thing is you look ahead and you start to imagine pairing what we have coming back with what’s going to be walking through the door here in three weeks or so, but it starts with your veterans who have been through the fire and we have a lot of them back.”
Maiava, one of the last players to leave the practice field Friday, made it clear why he chose to stay.
“Coach Riley,” Maiava said. “Of course, the staff too and my brothers. I’m super grateful to be back out here. I’m focused on a day at a time, staying level-headed, making the right decisions and just taking care of the ball.”
Maiava is happy for Lemon, who won the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver after catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior this season.
“It was awesome, everybody was there in the lobby when we found out … it’s well-deserved,” Maiava said. “He and Ja’Kobi set the standard for everyone. He won the award, so I’d say we had pretty good chemistry even off the field going out to eat and places. I had to do my job, but he did his job, too, as best he could.”
Defensive end Braylan Shelby also is grateful to be back with the Trojans for another season.
“I always knew I wanted to be here, he said. “Bowl games mean a lot and it’s a time for the team to put it all together and play together one last time.”
Regarding the new NFL model for announcing re-signings, Shelby said: “Some people love it, some hate it. … USC is a step ahead of the game and I think it’s the right step. In this NIL era, it helps fans know who’s returning.”
Having re-signed, junior safety Christian Pierce is excited about being a potential starter next fall.
“The bowl game is a huge start going into next season in terms of building the culture,” Pierce said. “My focus is on trying to understand the defense even more and the skills and techniques I’ll need to get better at. The talk after re-signing was more on the coaching staff and the program.”
Riley praised offensive lineman Tobias Raymond on his willingness and ability to play multiple positions on the front line.
“He was one of the most important players on the entire team,” Riley said. “His toughness was off the charts, his versatility with all the different lineups we played, being able to physically and mentally handle that. He was just a steadying presence. He’ll be a huge key coming back as a captain, a leader and a player. As many of those guys as you can have in a locker room — you’ll be a lot closer to winning.”
Much to his coach’s liking, Raymond has embraced his leadership role.
“I’ve just tried to be more vocal, set an example and hold other people to the standard our coaches have put out for us,” said the 6–foot-6, 315-pound redshirt sophomore out of Ventura. “Pick people up when things are low and when things are high making sure we’re keeping level-headed.”
Regarding the transfer portal, Riley said he plans to be less reliant on it than in previous years.
“The number we’re talking about is so much less than before, so moving forward we’ll be able to zero in on what we’re going to go after. So the picture is starting to become clearer on what we’ll be targeting.”
Welcome back to the Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re all about finding beauty in the struggle that is a basketball season. In a game with 68 free throws, five technical fouls and one potential dagger three-pointer marred by an ejection, there was definitely a lot of struggle.
The thought still made JJ Redick smile.
“It’s about growth,” Redick said after the Lakers survived a slugfest against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. “It’s not about perfection.”
“Consistently, when they have been challenged on a very specific thing, they have responded to those challenges,” Redick said of his players.
The latest challenge was shaping up on defense. The Lakers confronted their deficiencies in a meeting last week during which coaches presented film of the team’s mistakes and stats showing how far the Lakers had fallen. From giving up 113.7 points per possession during their first 14 games, the Lakers allowed 120.9 during the next 10 games.
Redick specifically asked his players for consistency and urgency on defense. For example, instead of being up to touch half of the time, he needed the bigs to be at the level of the screen every time. While allowing teams to shoot 41.3% on corner threes (the second-worst for any team on such shots), Redick noticed a mixture of improper pick-and-roll coverage, bad transition defense or lack of on-ball containment. He asked for simply more consistent execution of what the team had shown it could do.
Some defensive inconsistencies were forgiven during the seven-game winning streak against teams that have a combined .465 record as of Dec. 15. But a 3-3 record during a six-game stretch against .500 teams proved the Lakers can’t hide anymore.
Center Deandre Ayton called it “embarrassing” to see what other teams thought of their defense.
“JJ really got on us and basically showed us, ‘Y’all showing y’all ass right now,’” Ayton said. “‘And it’s time to tighten up a little bit.’”
Playing against a sometimes undersized Suns team Sunday, the Lakers answered by dominating the boards. Ayton grabbed 13 rebounds. The Lakers were without Austin Reaves because of a mild calf strain but leaned on Marcus Smart in the starting lineup for defense and toughness.
Smart missed the previous game against Phoenix with an injury when the Suns got hot during the first half and the Lakers simply had no answer for their opponents’ energy. When the Suns’ Royce O’Neale hit four of his first five three-point attempts and former Laker guard Jordan Goodwin forced turnover after turnover, the Lakers could have folded again.
Instead, they clapped back.
“Nothing’s ever gonna be perfect, especially in this league,” said Smart, who leads the Lakers in per-game plus-minus. “… We know the saying, ‘Pressure busts pipes and makes diamonds.’ We’re gonna see what you’re made of. And that’s the beauty about these games when it comes down to that: finding out who you are individually and as a team.”
Return of the Vandolorian
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt waits for a rebound.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
He spent a month on the bench. Then Jarred Vanderbilt needed only 17 seconds to reintroduce himself.
Immediately after entering Sunday’s game to begin the second quarter, the 6-foot-8 forward snagged an offensive rebound and scored on a putback. Vanderbilt had been waiting for that kind of opportunity.
“I haven’t played in a month, so naturally it was built up,” said Vanderbilt, who scored seven points with seven rebounds in 15 minutes against Phoenix after playing only three minutes in the Lakers’ previous 10 games. “But I feel like I bring that every game I play regardless.”
Vanderbilt was the Lakers’ long-awaited X-factor in their nail-biting win over Phoenix, providing the exact defensive and energetic lift the team had needed during its recent slump. As the defense started slipping during the last 10 games, Redick emphasized that everyone needed to get back on defense and be disruptive within the system. Lamenting that his team struggled to do the little things that affected winning such as crashing the boards and forcing turnovers, Redick found the quick answer in Vanderbilt.
“He starred in his role tonight,” Redick said. “He was awesome.”
With Vanderbilt setting the tone for the energetic bench unit, including Gabe Vincent, Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers had a season-high 54 rebounds against the Suns. They forced 20 turnovers.
Vanderbilt fell out of the rotation as soon as LeBron James returned from his 14-game sciatica absence. Although Vanderbilt, who was struggling with injuries in recent years, reinforced his potential as a strong defender during an impressive preseason, he was still sidelined because of his offensive limitations. Because teams don’t respect his shooting, it can create spacing issues for Luka Doncic or James.
He made up for it Sunday by relentlessly crashing the glass. Six of his seven rebounds were offensive.
Even before putting Vanderbilt back in the rotation, Redick praised the 26-year-old’s professionalism and work ethic during a difficult situation.
Smart noticed the same thing. That’s why when the guard saw Vanderbilt running behind him in transition in the fourth quarter against the Suns, Smart attempted to flip him the ball blindly over his head to help Vanderbilt get what could have been a highlight dunk.
It was a disaster. It sparked the Suns’ 20-point fourth-quarter comeback. Smart recognized that it nearly cost the Lakers the game. But Smart did connect with Vanderbilt on another big shot.
Smart assisted on Vanderbilt’s three-pointer with 6:41 remaining. It was Vanderbilt’s first made three since Nov. 14.
On tap
Records and stats updated entering Monday’s games
Thursday at Jazz (9-15), 6 p.m. PST
This game is a respite from the stretch against winning teams, but the Lakers shouldn’t overlook the Jazz. Guard Keyonte George has averaged 30.1 points in his two games against the Lakers this season.
Saturday at Clippers (6-19), 7:30 p.m.
Somehow things have gotten worse for the Clippers since the last time they played the Lakers. After losing 135-118 at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 25, the Clippers lost five of their next six. They unceremoniously waived Chris Paul in the middle of the night. James Harden, one of the season’s only bright spots, landed on the injury report with a calf strain before Monday’s game in Memphis.
Status report
Austin Reaves: calf
The Lakers announced last Friday that the guard will be out for approximately one week with a mild left calf strain.
Maxi Kleber: back
The forward has missed two games with a lumbar muscle strain but remains day to day. Redick said Kleber felt the injury during practice on Dec. 9 and missed half of the session.
Favorite thing I ate this week
The Pilgrim from Cornish Pasty Co. in downtown Phoenix. The handpie is filled with roasted turkey, onions, sweet potatoes and house-made stuffing.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I hung Christmas decorations in my house this week but I’m still not over Thanksgiving. So looking for any opportunity to eat more stuffing, I stopped by Cornish Pasty Co. in downtown Phoenix. The “Pilgrim” handpie was filled with roasted turkey, onions, sweet potatoes and made-in-house stuffing (my favorite Thanksgiving side) with a side of cranberry sauce. The pastry was perfectly flaky while not being so soft that everything fell apart. Sign me up for any version of a portable Thanksgiving meal.
USC (9-3), ranked No. 16 in the AP poll, is preparing to play Texas Christian (9-4) on Dec. 30 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. USC finished 7-2 in its second season in the Big Ten and won four of its last five games, the only setback during that stretch being a 42-27 loss to Oregon, which is the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Asked about signing the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, Riley said: “It was a great day. We tried to keep the focus on building next year’s team. The amount of guys that we signed is a big portion of it and as we start to look ahead … half of our day and maybe even more is pointing towards next year and coming years. Meanwhile, obviously getting ready for this bowl game. It was a lot of hard work to add talent and people who care about this place and starting to put next year’s team together has been exciting here these last few weeks.”
Riley has a 35-27 record in his four seasons at USC and is hoping to improve his bowl record to 3-1. He guided the Trojans to wins in the 2023 Holiday Bowl and 2024 Las Vegas Bowl.
Riley watched the CIF state Open Division bowl game between Santa Margarita (coached by former Trojans quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer) and De La Salle on Saturday and was impressed by the performance of USC commit Trent Mosley, who had 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the Eagles’ 47-13 win.
“He was someone we targeted very early on,” Riley said. “I thought he was super impressive and it was important. He’s one of the best receivers in the country. He’s proven that and he just played out of his mind. It’s a great family and he’s a really smart kid.”
Asked what advice he gives to players who are deciding what to do next in their careers, Riley said: “Yes, it’s an important decision. The guys that make the right decision no matter what it is get a leg up on the rest of their lives. Consequently, a wrong decision can be catastrophic. That’s the world we all live in. I just try to educate them on their options. I don’t like telling guys you should do this or you shouldn’t do that. It’s more about, here’s this option, this is what it would look like, here’s what you need to consider. Sometimes the decision’s pretty clear one way or another, other times it’s not. I try to give them as much guidance as I possibly can.”
Given that USC will be missing quite a few players who were key contributors throughout the season, Riley is not ruling out the possibility of younger players seeing action against TCU.
“There’s gonna be guys all over the place who are going to have opportunities,” Riley said. “All sides of the ball, all position groups, maybe it’s some of the guys you saw a little bit during the season and in some instances you’ll see guys get some burn in this game that haven’t played at all or very little. Bowl games are great, but days like this are the most valuable part of it because we’re just pouring reps into all of these guys, it’s super competitive and the energy level is just different. All these guys feel it’s their time.”
Riley admitted he and his staff had to make hard decisions based on the incoming freshmen, a majority of whom are spring enrollees.
“It’s huge, it’s a high, high number that are going to be here and it’s important,” he said. “We’ve had to make a bunch of roster decisions in the last couple of weeks. We have a large number of players who have already signed and some of the decisions we had to make were based on knowing what we have coming in, and when you sign as many as we did, you’re going to have tough decisions to make.”
