Untold riches awaited Adrian Kempe as one of the NHL’s top unrestricted free agents next summer.
Mitch Marner, among last summer’s top targets, got $12 million a season from Vegas in a sign-and-trade deal with Toronto hours before he would have hit the open market. With more goals than Marner over the last four full seasons, how much could Kempe — in his prime at 29 — have demanded?
We’ll never know. Because whatever amount it might have been, Kempe decided it wasn’t worth more than his happiness. So last month he signed an eight-year contract extension worth a reported $85 million with the Kings that figures to keep him with the only organization he’s ever known for the rest of his career.
“There’s probably some teams that would have given me offers. But I never really got to the part where that was something that I wanted,” he said. “I’m really happy here. Always have been. Family-wise, the same.
“So there was never anything else in my mind.”
That’s a mind that is apparently at ease now that Kempe’s hockey future has been determined. With 13 goals and a team-high 17 assists, he leads the offensively challenged Kings with 30 points and seven of those goals have come in the 17 games since he signed his extension.
But that’s done little to lift the team, which has lost six of their last seven heading into Saturday’s game with the Ducks. The last time the Kings had a seven-game stretch this bad it cost coach Todd McLellan his job.
“I’m not happy, but I really believe in this group,” said winger Kevin Fiala, who shares the team goal-scoring lead with Kempe. “I really believe this is a great team, great players. We just have to kind of find the game. And not just for some minutes, not even for one game, 60 minutes.
“We have to go for a stretch here, get some wins in a row. Start feeling good, start playing good.”
That might be tough given how the Kings will finish 2025. After Saturday’s home game with the resurgent Ducks, the team travels to Colorado to face the Avalanche, who lead the NHL in points.
If the Kings are to turn things around, they will have to jump start an offense which is second-to-last in the NHL, averaging 2.52 goals a game, and a power play that has converted on less than 14% of its chances, also 31st in the 32-team league. And the responsibility for making that happen probably will fall to Kempe, who has scored as many goals over the past four full seasons as Sidney Crosby and has just six fewer assists than Alex Ovechkin, keeping the Swedish Olympian in heady company.
Kings forward Adrian Kempe shoots during a win over the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 4.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
“Adrian is a bit of a streaky scorer,” coach Jim Hiller said. “A lot of his recent goals are goals that we’ve seen him score before, where he’s either beating someone with speed, a nice deke.
“So to me it’s the type of goals he’s scoring right now that’s got me encouraged.”
That’s not all that’s encouraging. Kempe, a quick and physical two-way forward, is averaging a career-high 19:18 of ice time per game and is on pace to score 30 goals and top 68 points for a second straight season.
With captain Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of the season and defenseman Drew Doughty in the penultimate year of his contract, re-signing Kempe, the team’s future leader on and off the ice, was at the top of Ken Holland’s to-do list when he took over as general manager last spring. And while the length of the contract he offered Kempe never wavered, the price did.
In the end, media reports said Kempe blinked first, telling agent J.P. Berry to lower his salary demands to get a deal done, eventually accepting an average annual value of $10.625 million beginning next season. That nearly doubles the $5.5 million he’ll earn this season and makes him the fifth-best-paid Swede in the NHL, according to the Sweden Herald. But it’s less than he would have gotten on the open market.
“I think it says two things,” Hiller said of the deal. “What it says about the franchise is that the player was known, was drafted here, was developed here.”
What it says about Kempe, he continued, is that he values that loyalty more than money.
Kings forward Adrian Kempe against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 18.
(Chris O’Meara / Associated Press)
“I think he probably appreciates the time and energy spent on his career, getting him to where he was,” Hiller said. “Now it’s his choice and he says, ‘You know what? I want to stay in place.’”
He’s not alone. A number of the Kings’ recent cornerstone players — among them Dustin Brown, Kopitar and Doughty — spent their entire NHL careers with the team. If he avoids serious injury and a major dropoff in play, Kempe will almost certainly rank among the top five in franchise history in games, goals and points when his contract runs out.
That’s the long-term return on investment Holland and the Kings are hoping for. For the time being, however, they’re counting on Kempe to save a season that seems in danger of spiraling.
Like Fiala, Kempe believes in the Kings.
“If I weren’t happy here, obviously I would consider not playing here,” Kempe said. “We have a good core. We have a good group of younger guys coming up. I think we’re in a good spot.
“Obviously you have to take that in consideration, too, when you sign a new deal. You want to play on a good team, you want to win cups.”
PHOENIX — It’s not the lineups, the injuries or necessarily the system. The cause of the Lakers’ defensive demise is a thousand little decisions gone wrong.
“It comes down to just making the choice,” coach JJ Redick said after the Lakers gave up 132 points in a blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. “It’s making the choice. There’s shortcuts you can take or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort or you can sprint back or you can’t. It’s just a choice and there’s a million choices in a game, and you’re very likely not gonna make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of ‘em correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”
Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season, the Lakers (19-9) are ranked 28th in defensive rating in the last 14 games entering a Christmas Day showcase against the Houston Rockets at 5 p.m. PST at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers, without any individual shutdown defenders, need a perfectly executed team defense to compete. But 15 different starting lineups in 28 games has delayed some of the team’s ability to build continuity. The Lakers have had their full complement of 14 standard contract players for two games.
Forward Rui Hachimura (groin) and Luka Doncic (leg) could return Thursday. Guard Gabe Vincent, one of the team’s top defensive options on the perimeter, will miss his fourth game with lower-back soreness. Center Jaxson Hayes tweaked his left ankle in the second quarter of Tuesday’s loss and didn’t return.
The Rockets (17-10) limp into the Christmas Day blockbuster with their own struggles. The team thought to be one of the few who could challenge Oklahoma City in the West has lost five of its last seven games. Three of the losses were in overtime and four came against teams currently out of the play-in picture, including Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers.
Led by Kevin Durant’s 25.2 points, the Rockets are a statistical anomaly in the sped up, possession-maximizing modern NBA. They have the third-ranked offense in the league despite being one of the slowest. They shoot the fewest three-pointers per game, but make them at a 40% clip that ranks second, and dominate the glass with NBA-leading 48.7 rebounds and 16.1 offensive rebounds per game.
Houston’s physicality and expertise on the boards could be especially worrisome for a team that still has to consciously choose defense on a possession-by-possession basis instead of consistently living up to a standard of playing hard.
“There’s really no defense, no scheme we can do when we’re giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments like we are, our [opponents] are getting wherever they want on the court,” guard Marcus Smart said after Tuesday’s loss. “And there’s no help, there’s no resistance, there’s no urgency. … It’s on us.”
The Suns grabbed 12 offensive rebounds against the Lakers on 35 missed shots, an offensive rebounding rate of 34.3%. After the Suns scored a three-pointer by twice grabbing offensive rebounds off tipped balls, Lakers players had an animated discussion in a timeout with Smart was gesturing toward center Deandre Ayton about tipping rebounds. Ayton, who finished with 10 rebounds and 12 points, and Smart ended the timeout with a high-five.
“[I need to] just continue to talk to guys, even though sometimes they might not want to hear it,” said Smart, a free-agent addition the Lakers coveted for his leadership and tenacity on defense. “Especially when we losing, nobody wants to hear it, myself included, but also understand that it’s integral for us to hear those things, to see and to be able to talk to one another and figure it out as players on the court, because we’re the ones out there.”
Redick intentionally built in moments for players to connect and communicate during every timeout this season before coaches speak. The strategy was meant to encourage players to take a larger leadership role. “Championship communication” was one of the team’s three pillars.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, foulds Clippers guard James Harden on a layup during their game Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Along with “championship shape,” Redick also asked his team to build “championship habits.” Living up to the mantras is easier said than done.
“It’s not the easy choice,” Redick said. “It’s human nature. … We do it on a daily basis. We make easy choices cause it’s comfortable. Comfortable doesn’t win.”
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.
John Slusher shouldn’t admit this. When the former Nike executive signed on to oversee LA28’s commercial operations last year, he looked at the private organizing committee’s lofty financial goals with some concern. Sales were “incredibly slow.” There was momentum around the first Olympics in L.A. in more than 40 years, but not many results.
Yet.
Weeks after celebrating his one-year anniversary with the group responsible for organizing and delivering the 2028 Games, Slusher and his team delivered a $2-billion present.
After announcing 15 partnerships in 2025, LA28 met its goal of reaching $2 billion in corporate sponsorship by this year, which Slusher said puts the group well on track to meet or exceed its $2.52-billion goal for domestic partnerships that serves as the largest line item funding the 2028 Games.
“Each avenue of commercial, whether it’s sponsorship, licensing, ticketing, hospitality, they’re all just kind of smoking hot, if you will, right now,” Slusher said in a recent interview with The Times. “I think there’s a lot of momentum and a lot of excitement around driving the business. And I think we’re all super focused on delivering an amazing, financially responsible Games.”
Since its bid for the Games began in 2016, LA28 has promised to deliver and operate the event with private funds. The estimated budget is $7.15 billion for L.A.’s first Olympics since 1984. After last year’s Paris Olympics, focus has shifted to the United States as the country begins a major decade of major sports events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the 2034 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City.
“There is still much work to do and I can assure you the team is not resting,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland said during a media conference call. “But the reality is that this success puts the LA28 Games on track to be very successful while building significant commercial value for Team USA for many years to come. We couldn’t be more pleased with where we sit.”
Slusher, the chief executive officer responsible for revenue for LA28 and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, said the group is still selling for major sponsorship categories, including quick service restaurant, retail, tech and finance. Ticket registration begins on Jan. 14 with 14 million tickets available for the Olympics and Paralympics, which would break the record for Games tickets sold. Volunteering opportunities connected to LA28 in the community have already begun and volunteer applications for the Games open in the summer of 2026.
From record commercial growth to launching volunteer and community ticketing programs earlier than ever, our north star continues to be delivering a fiscally responsible Games with meaningful impact for L.A. and beyond,” LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “We’re working day in and day out to make the Games more accessible than ever to the millions of people who want to get involved in a meaningful way.”
LA28 announced a ticket donation program with hopes of making tickets accessible to local fans through community groups. The Rams were the first participants, donating $5 million. Tickets will begin at $28 and LA28 plans to have one-third of tickets under $100.
Ticketing and hospitality is supposed to cover $2.5 billion of LA28’s total budget, the second-largest source of revenue for the Games.
A study done by the Southern California Assn. of Governments estimated the Games will generate between $13.6 billion and $17.6 billion in additional gross domestic product across a six-county region between 2024-2029. The study considered LA28’s $7.15-billion budget, estimated visitor spending and a portion of Games-related transportation infrastructure investments.
While only four of the Olympic venues are outside of L.A. County, the study estimates that five other Southern California counties — Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial — could still enjoy roughly 33% of the economic benefit because of visitor spending and work provided elsewhere in the region. Orange County, which will host the volleyball competition at Honda Center and surfing at nearby Trestles, could draw between $2.88 billion and $2.44 billion in gross domestic product from the Games, the second-most behind L.A.’s range of $8.96 billion and $11.97 billion.
The study was limited to only short-term gains up to five years after the Games, which does not take into account any “legacy effects.” The 2028 Games will have no permanent venue construction, but the planning agency notes that transportation infrastructure built to support the Games could benefit the region for decades in the future.
Transportation updates are largely the responsibility of the city, which is relying on federal grants to expand the Metro rail system and add more buses for the Games. Improvements to Los Angeles International Airport have been plodding: The People Mover train’s opening date has been delayed again to June 2026.
Outside of money used for infrastructure improvements, L.A. is also at risk to foot the first $270 million in potential overruns from LA28. If the private organizing committee’s debt goes further, the next $270 million would go to the state and anything remaining would return back to the city.
Next year the Dodgers will try to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series. The Angels will try to end baseball’s longest postseason drought at 11 years, still without much of a plan beyond rushing first-round draft picks to the major leagues while treading the financial waters until Anthony Rendon’s contract runs out.
On Sunday they missed out on Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the 102-loss Chicago White Sox. Of the Angels’ five acquisitions this winter, three did not play in the majors last season, and not because they are up-and-coming prospects.
If you’re an Angels fan and you’re sick and tired of this, should you reconsider your loyalty?
Jim Bowden believes you should.
Bowden, formerly the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, serves as a baseball insider on several media platforms. On “Foul Territory” last week he suggested fans of small-market teams have an option that might be more constructive than getting angry.
In Pittsburgh, for instance, the owner would rather complain about the lack of a salary cap than spend enough money to build a winner around generational pitcher Paul Skenes.
“You don’t have to be a Pirate fan,” Bowden said. “You can retire as a Pirate fan, or trade yourself to the Dodgers.
“If you want to see your team win, right now the Dodgers have got the best chance to win a World Series again. As a fan, you can root for any team you want.
“You don’t have to root for the team in your home city. You can see the Dodgers play in your home city. They’ll come into Pittsburgh and beat you.
“If it bothers you that much, just become a Dodger fan. It’s fine.”
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates with teammates, coaches and owners after the Dodgers’ World Series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Nov. 1.
On Sunday, Sports Business Journal reported that the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network is in jeopardy of shutting down if it cannot complete a sale to streaming service DAZN. The Angels would not disappear from your screens and streams, but it likely would mean the Angels would take a big cut in local broadcast revenue for a second consecutive year.
The Dodgers’ bandwagon shows no sign of slowing. The Dodgers set a franchise attendance record last season. They offer stadium tours in English, Spanish and Japanese. They launched a fan club in Japan.
So, as a frustrated Angels fan, you could hop on that bandwagon. Or you could try another large-market team — say, the New York Mets.
Mets owner Steve Cohen is worth $23 billion, according to Forbes. When Cohen bought the Mets in 2020, he said this: “If I don’t win a World Series in the next three to five years — I’d like to make it sooner — I would consider that slightly disappointing.”
The Mets still have not won a World Series since 1986. On Friday he took to social media to criticize “the usual idiots misinterpreting a Post article on Mets payroll.”
On Sunday, given the Mets’ losses of Díaz and beloved slugger Pete Alonso in free agency, New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro shot back, comparing Cohen to greatly unloved former owner Fred Wilpon in this adaptation of a Christmas carol: “Steve’s beginning to look a lot like Wilpon/Mets fans say ‘Hell, no!’/What’s the point in being so rich/And a ruthless sonofabitch/If you don’t spend dough?”
The concept of fan free agency — essentially what Bowden suggested — is not new. Every now and then some disgruntled fan will publicly disown his favorite team, then invite rival teams to suggest why he should support them. If you’re creative enough, rival teams will send you some free swag.
That level of desperation is what many Dodgers fans felt a decade and a half ago, when former owner Frank McCourt needed a loan to cover payroll, hired a Russian physicist who channeled positive energy toward the team and “diagnosed the disconnects” among baseball operations personnel, and disparaged as “un-American” the league’s refusal to approve a television contract that he said would have provided the revenue to keep the Dodgers out of bankruptcy court.
Fans wearing Shohei Ohtani Dodgers jerseys wait to enter Angel Stadium before a game between the Angels and Dodgers on Aug. 12.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
In 2011, the year McCourt took the team into bankruptcy, the Angels outdrew the Dodgers for the only time. The Dodgers fans did not bail on their team. They waited for better days.
That is where Angels fans are now — and, for that matter, where Pirates fans are too. Bowden’s suggestion that unhappy Pirates fans exhausted by the perennial futility try the Dodgers did not go over well in Pittsburgh. At the Pirates’ fan site Rum Bunter, Emma Lingan wrote: “Fandom isn’t a streaming subscription you cancel when the content gets bad.”
This year’s World Series was the best and most dramatic I ever covered. But the one that was the most fun was the 2002 World Series: the underdog Angels, the Disney team no one projected for a happy ending, rampaging through October and toppling giants. As The Times’ headline on the Game 7 victory put it: “Fantasyland!”
If you were there in 1982 and 1986, when the Angels had six chances to win one game to clinch their first World Series appearance — and lost all six — then you could have a greater appreciation of 2002. And, if you were there for McCourt bankruptcy, you can have a greater appreciation of Guggenheim majesty.
So get that Angels fan in your life an Angels cap. That fan will be able to wear that cap proudly one of these years, and all the tears will make the cap fit that much more snugly.
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.
PHOENIX — Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.
The Lakers’ defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%) and tying their mark for most points allowed in a loss this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.
“The theme with our team again is like these young teams that move, we just can’t move,” said coach JJ Redick, whose team is 1-2 against the Suns (16-13). “So it’s like we’re stuck in mud.”
The Lakers (19-9) remain in the top half of the competitive Western Conference, but with blowout losses to Atlanta, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, L.A. is clinging to a plus-1.1 in point differential. They lost consecutive games for the first time Tuesday and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.
All things Lakers, all the time.
Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.
Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”
“It’s hard for me to start, at the rotation that Bron has, for me to stay around that 20-25 minute mark,” said Reaves, who played 21 minutes and 46 seconds. “So [coming off the bench] got brought up in my shooting time. I said I was open to whatever. Definitely felt weird coming off the bench, but it’s basketball at the end of the day.”
Calf injuries, even the most minor, have been major concerns for the NBA since three stars suffered Achilles tendon tears during last season’s playoffs. Reaves, who carried the team during the early part of a season that has featured injury absences from James and Doncic, led the team in minutes per game. His 775 minutes entering Tuesday were second-most on the team behind Rui Hachimura. The Japanese forward missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness.
Lakers star Lebron James puts up a shot against the Suns on Tuesday night. James finished with 23 points.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
When asked whether Reaves needed a physical reset after carrying such a large load, Redick acknowledged a break may have been necessary.
Reaves looked out of sorts when he entered with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter. He fumbled the handoff on his first touch coming off a screen. When he tried to thread bounce passes through tiny windows, the ball was kicked away or deflected. He got attacked on defense and gave up consecutive driving layups to Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea.
Bouyea had 14 points off the bench, including a layup over Marcus Smart, who failed to draw a charge call, in the third quarter. While Smart laid in the key appealing to officials, Bouyea didn’t hesitate to leap over the Lakers’ guard and score. The Lakers fell behind by as many as 29 in the third quarter, and Redick quietly waved the white flag with 5:22 remaining in the third when he put reserve forward Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero onto the floor.
The Phoenix crowd started to file out in bunches with seven minutes remaining when the lead reached 30.
Even courtside seats were empty in the final minutes. Brooks took advantage, sitting in a courtside seat on the baseline as Thiero stepped to the free throw line with 1:16 remaining. Brooks waved his arms as a distraction. Thiero split his two shots.
Etc.
Center Jaxson Hayes left the game with left ankle soreness in the second quarter and didn’t return.. Redick said it was an aggravation of a previous injury suffered last week.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Kelce has played 96 regular-season home games for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The next one might be the last.
The 36-year-old Kelce, who was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the 11th time on Tuesday, will be inside Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night for a Christmas showdown with the Denver Broncos.
And with the Chiefs eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in a decade, and a trip to Las Vegas for their finale, it could be the last time that Kelce walks off his beloved field.
“What Travis has done to this organization, to his teammates, his coaches, this city — it’s special,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “I hope like hell that’s not true. I just have so much respect for him.”
Kelce has not yet announced whether he will retire after a superlative 13-year career in which he won three Super Bowl rings and was an All-Pro on four occasions. But he has said that his decision will be made quickly after the season ends, giving the Chiefs ample time to not only prepare for free agency and the draft but their future without him.
“I’d rather just keep the focus on this team right now,” Kelce said last week, “and all the conversations I have with the team and everything moving forward will be with them. And I think it’s a unique time in my life, and unfortunately I know when the season ends this year. Typically we go into it and we don’t know when it will end.”
He’s had a heck of a final season, if that turns out to be the case.
After doubling down on fitness after the Chiefs were waylaid by the Eagles in the Super Bowl last February, Kelce has played in every game during a difficult season for the team. He has 68 catches for 803 yards, allowing him to join Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to eclipse the 800-yards receiving mark in 12 consecutive seasons.
Kelce also has five touchdown receptions, matching the most he’s had in the past three seasons.
And while Kelce could have shut it down after the Chiefs were eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since his first full season in the NFL, he has continued to take the field every day. He had one catch for six yards in last week’s 26-9 loss to the Titans, but it pushed his streak — the longest active one in the league — to 189 games with at least one reception.
It didn’t help that backup quarterback Gardner Minshew joined Kelce’s good friend, Patrick Mahomes, by suffering a bone bruise one week after the two-time MVP tore knee ligaments. Chris Oladokun finished the game at quarterback and will start on Thursday night against Denver.
“I will say this: What [Kelce] is going through even these last couple games — we’re out of the playoffs, we’re out, and he’s out there every day, practicing, leading, helping people out,” Nagy said. “That should show a lot of these younger guys why he’s playing this game, and why he is so special.”
Etc.
Cornerbacks Trent McDuffie (knee), Jaylen Watson (groin) and receivers Nikko Remigio (knee), Rashee Rice (concussion) and Tyquan Thornton (concussion) did not practice Tuesday. … The Chiefs have signed quarterback Shane Buechele as Oladokun’s backup for the rest of the season. TE Noah Gray would serve as the emergency quarterback.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert runs with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 21.
(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. TV: CBS, NFL Network.
Line: Chargers by 1½. O/U: 39½.
Houston has been a hard matchup for the Chargers, and can turn up the heat on Justin Herbert. But Jim Harbaugh’s team has found new ways to win, and is capable of outscoring the Texans, who are really struggling in the red zone. Low-scoring and physical.
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen:Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.
The Lakers’ defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%) and tying their mark for most points allowed this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.
“The theme with our team again is like these young teams that move, we just can’t move,” said coach JJ Redick, whose team is 1-2 against the Suns (16-13). “So it’s like we’re stuck in mud.”
The Lakers (19-9) remain in the top half of the competitive Western Conference, but with blowout losses to Atlanta, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, L.A. is clinging to a plus-1.1 in point differential. They lost consecutive games for the first time Tuesday and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.
Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.
Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”
“It’s hard for me to start, at the rotation that Bron has, for me to stay around that 20-25 minute mark,” said Reaves, who played 21 minutes and 46 seconds. “So [coming off the bench] got brought up in my shooting time. I said I was open to whatever. Definitely felt weird coming off the bench, but it’s basketball at the end of the day.”
Mick Cronin tinkers with UCLA’s lineup ahead of rout
UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau makes a move to the basket against UC Riverside forward Osiris Grady on Tuesday.
(Jan Kim Lim / UCLA Athletics)
From Ben Bolch: Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tried plenty of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway was that a three-guard lineup might be the way to go after the continued struggles of centers Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson II.
“We’ve got to find a way to play our best players and win, whoever they are, because it’s not Little League,” Cronin said after his team’s 97-65 victory over UC Riverside at Pauley Pavilion. “You’ve either got to give us some rebounding and defense or somebody else has got to play.”
The leading candidates for a larger role based on what happened against the Highlanders appear to be reserves Trent Perry, Jamar Brown and Brandon Williams.
Kings coach Jim Hiller watches from the bench during a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
From Kevin Baxter: January has traditionally been the harshest time of the year for the Kings, who haven’t had a winning record in that month the last three seasons. But winter grew dark and gloomy a little earlier than usual because December has hardly been a walk in the park.
With Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Kings head into the NHL’s three-day Christmas break having lost six of their last seven. And things aren’t getting easier any time soon: when the team returns to the ice Saturday, it will play host to the Ducks, who lead the Pacific Division in wins, before closing out 2025 Monday on the road against the Colorado Avalanche, who lead the NHL in wins.
“It’s not going the way we all want to,” forward Kevin Fiala said. “But you know, that’s going to happen for everybody. So it’s us who have to do something about it. Who can pull us out of it? Nobody else.
“I’m not worried. Like, I’m sure we’re gonna get out of this. But it’s not acceptable right now.”
Leonard shot 16 for 23 from the field and four for five from long distance as the Clippers won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Clippers were coming off a 103-88 win over the Lakers on Saturday that broke a five-game skid. The Clippers also won consecutive games Oct. 24-26, against Phoenix and Portland.
Harden, who shot seven for 14 from the field and three for eight from long distance, was helped by 12-for-13 shooting from the line.
John Collins and Kobe Sanders added 13 points apiece and Kris Dunn scored 11 for the Clippers (8-21), who shot 54% (20 for 37) from three-point range.
Stafford, 37, has passed for a league leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, for a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded sixth for the NFC playoffs. The Rams play at the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Stafford also made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023.
Quarterbacks Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys also made the NFC roster.
Herbert, receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the second time, is the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.
Lindsey Vonn qualifies for the Winter Olympics at 41
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn competes in a World Cup super-G race in Val d’Isere, France, on Sunday.
(Pier Marco Tacca / Associated Press)
From Steve Henson: It’s been one surprise after another lately from Lindsey Vonn. And the announcement that the 41-year-old slopes queen has qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics in February isn’t the last of it.
It might have been her post on Instagram that stated unequivocally that this will be the end.
“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn said.
Vonn’s remarkable and inspiring comeback from injuries and a seven-year hiatus from top-level competitive skiing has injected the U.S. team narrative with an irresistible story line. That her quest will culminate in the mountains of northern Italy just two months from now will make it must-watch television and social media video.
Venus Williams competes in a quarterfinal doubles match at the U.S. Open in September.
(Heather Khalifa / Associated Press)
From Andrew J. Campa: Tennis legend Venus Williams wed Danish model and actor Andrea Preti over the weekend in Florida, the new bride announced in a shared post.
An Instagram post from Vogue Magazine’s Weddings section announced the nuptials, with the message garnering more than 30,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We all love each other so much,” Williams, 45, said in the Vogue post. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”
The post was scant on details other than the event took place over five days in and around the couple’s home in Palm Beach Gardens.
An aerial view of the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay, shown during 1930 World Cup tournament.
(Associated Press)
From Kevin Baxter: Next summer’s World Cup will be the largest, most complex and most lucrative sporting event in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in three countries. The tournament is expected to draw a global TV audience of nearly 5 billion and FIFA, the event’s organizer, is hoping for revenues of between $10 billion-$14 billion — which is why lower-bowl tickets for Iran-New Zealand at SoFi Stadium cost nearly $700.
All that seemed unlikely after the first tournament in 1930, when the idea of a soccer World Cup was nearly killed in the cradle, the victim from lack of planning, lack of money and lack of interest. That the competition survived, much less thrived, is nothing short of a miracle, says English writer and podcaster Jonathan Wilson, author of the deeply researched “The Power and Glory: The History of the World Cup.”
“1930, it’s incredibly amateurish in many ways,” Wilson said. “It’s got that sort of almost like a school sports day feel to it.”
1950 — Cleveland’s Otto Graham throws four touchdown passes, despite icy footing in Municipal Stadium, and Lou Groza kicks a 16-yard field goal with 28 seconds left to give the Browns a 30-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL title in their first year in the league.
1961 — George Blanda’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Billy Cannon gives the Houston Oilers a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Chargers for their second AFL title.
1967 — New York’s Joe Namath becomes the first player to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Namath passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Jets to a 42-31 win at San Diego. Namath finishes the year with 4,007 yards.
1997 — In one of the biggest upsets in college basketball, Division II American-Puerto defeats the No. 12 Arkansas Razorbacks 64-59 in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.
2000 — Marshall Faulk breaks Emmitt Smith’s NFL record for touchdowns, scoring three times to give him 26 for the St. Louis Rams. Faulk’s three touchdowns and 220 yards fuels a 26-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
2003 — Steven Jackson ties a bowl game record with five touchdowns, and Oregon State’s defense overwhelms mistake-plagued New Mexico in a 55-14 win at the Las Vegas Bowl.
2006 — Colt Brennan sets the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes at 58, throwing five in the second half to lead Hawaii to a 41-24 victory over Arizona State in the Hawaii Bowl. Brennan, 33-of-42 for 559 yards, breaks the previous mark of 54 set by Houston’s David Klingler in 1990.
2011 — David Akers kicks his way into the NFL record book and the San Francisco 49ers hold off Seattle for a 19-17 win. Akers makes four field goals to give him 42 this season, breaking the NFL mark of 40 set by Neil Rackers in 2005 with Arizona.
2014 — Western Kentucky holds on to defeat Central Michigan 49-48 in a wild inaugural Bahamas Bowl. Central Michigan trails 49-14 entering the fourth quarter before Cooper Rush engineers a comeback. He throws four touchdown passes in the final minutes, and the Chippewas get the ball back at their own 25 with one second remaining. Rush completes a pass to Jesse Kroll, and the ball is lateraled three times before Titus Davis dove into the pylon for a touchdown with no time remaining. CMU elects to go for two, only to have the pass drop incomplete.
2016 — With a 41-3 rout of the New York Jets, Bill Belichick earns his 200th regular-season victory in New England, making him the fifth coach in NFL history to reach the milestone with one team.
2016 — Cleveland survives a last-second field-goal attempt and gets its first victory after 14 losses by beating the San Diego Chargers 20-17. When San Diego’s Josh Lambo misses a 45-yard field-goal attempt as time expires, the Browns (1-14) win for the first time in 377 days.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Herbert, receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the second time, is the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.
James, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, is the only defensive back in the NFL this season to collect at least 80 tackles (five for loss) with multiple sacks and interceptions.
Dicker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. He leads all AFC kickers with 36 made field goals and 141 points scored.
Tulipulotu, a former USC standout, is ranked third in the NFL with 13 sacks, and has a career-high 20 tackles for loss.
The only surprise in that group is Alt, who made the transition from right to left tackle after left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. Alt was a stalwart on the line for the first three weeks of the season before sustaining an ankle injury 10 snaps into the Week 4 game against the New York Giants. He returned in Week 8 to face Minnesota, but was carted off in Week 9 at Tennessee an injury to the same ankle, this time requiring season-ending surgery.
Nonetheless, he’s an outstanding tackle and earned his first Pro Bowl honor, which is determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches.
Four more Chargers were named Pro Bowl alternates: outside linebacker Khalil Mack, linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips for special teams, cornerback Donte Jackson and fullback/defensive lineman Scott Matlock.
“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football, and our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh,” the schools said in a joint statement Monday. “The rivalry between our two schools is one of the best in all of sport, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”
Discussions between the rivals broke down in recent weeks, shortly after the College Football Playoff field was announced, a person familiar with negotiations not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.
In the wake of Notre Dame being left out of the 12-team field, Yahoo reported that College Football Playoff officials came to an agreement with the school in March 2024 that assured the Irish of a playoff berth if they were ranked among the top 12 at season’s end starting in 2026. That agreement, if applied this year, would have meant slotting Notre Dame in the field over Miami, which defeated the Irish to open the season.
The two schools nearly announced a continuation of the series around the time of their October matchup in South Bend, Ind. A person familiar with the negotiations told The Times that USC was ready then to compromise and stick with the rivalry’s usual cadence over the next two seasons, with Notre Dame coming to the Coliseum in 2026.
But at the time USC officials were not aware Notre Dame reached an agreement with CFP officials that guaranteed the Irish a playoff spot if they finish in the top 12 of the final rankings starting in 2026, the person said. To USC officials the agreement felt like “a material advantage” to the Irish, whose place as an independent and scheduling flexibility already afforded them a considerable edge in positioning for the playoff over other programs, like USC, that are tethered to a conference.
From columnist Bill Plaschke: The world of college football may be awash in uncertainty, but the last several weeks have proven one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Nobody runs like Notre Dame.
When the Irish got jobbed by the College Football Playoff committee and insanely were left out of the CFP, they refused to play another game this season.
Notre Dame ran from the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Then came Monday’s announcement that Notre Dame no longer will regularly play USC, essentially ending a 100-year-old rivalry because the Irish didn’t want to change the dates of the game.
Notre Dame ran from the Trojans.
Call them the Fightin’ Chickens, a once-proud Irish program that demands acquiescence or it will take its ball and go home.
Nico Iamaleava has agreed to return to UCLA for next season, giving the Bruins a top-level quarterback as part of their new coach’s bid for a quick turnaround from a 3-9 season under his predecessor and an interim coach.
Iamaleava announced his intentions on Instagram, posting a highlight video alongside a caption reading, “NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Back with my brothers. Same vision. Same goals. Same grind. Locked in. Time to work!”
The possible benefits go beyond improving Iamaleava’s NFL draft stock with a strong season. Another important plus could be the reputational boost associated with staying put after Iamaleava left Tennessee during spring practice in 2025 as part of an emotionally charged falling out with the Volunteers that sparked widespread criticism.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert warms up before a win over the Eagles on Dec. 8.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
From Sam Farmer: The Chargers got an early Christmas present Monday night courtesy of San Francisco, and they’re still hoping for more under the tree.
With the 49ers beating the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27, the Chargers secured a postseason wild-card berth. The AFC West title is still in play too, and even the top seed in the AFC.
The NFL on Monday suspended Perryman without pay for two games for repeated violations of rules designed to protect player health and safety, including an incident during Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys.
In the second quarter Perryman was penalized for unnecessary roughness after delivering a blow to the helmet of Ryan Flournoy while the Cowboys receiver was on the ground following a catch. The play violated a rule prohibiting the use of any part of the helmet or face mask to initiate forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.
Why the Rams fired their special teams coordinator
Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn interacts with coach Sean McVay during a game against the Seattle Seahawks in November 2024. Blackburn was fired by the Rams following the team’s loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night.
(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
From Gary Klein:Rams coach Sean McVay worked with Ben Kotwica for three NFL seasons in Washington when McVay was the team’s offensive coordinator and Kotwica was the special teams coordinator.
“I know his capacity, I know the accountability, I know the core belief that he has,” McVay said of Kotwica, who has been a Rams assistant this season after working as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator the previous two. “This late in the year, you’re not naive to, you’re going to keep a lot of the foundational things.
“But I think there’s some things that we want to have reflected in our style of play, and the way we go about our overall approach that I think will be improved.”
From Broderick Turner: As Lakers coach JJ Redick talked after practice Monday about the long list of players who would be listed as day-to-day for Tuesday night’s game at Phoenix, he at least knew that center Deandre Ayton will be back after missing two games because of left elbow soreness.
Redick said Luka Doncic (left leg contusion), Austin Reaves (mild left calf strain) and Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) were day-to-day. Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness), however, is expected to be out longer.
A few hours later, Reaves was upgraded to questionable, while Doncic, Hachimura and Vincent were officially ruled out for the Suns game.
Redick said Doncic was injured when he was kneed by Clippers guard Bagdan Bogdanovic during Saturday night’s loss at Intuit Dome.
LA28 track to meet revenue goals for 2028 Olympics
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: John Slusher shouldn’t admit this. When the former Nike executive signed on to oversee LA28’s commercial operations last year, he looked at the private organizing committee’s lofty financial goals with some concern. Sales were “incredibly slow.” There was momentum around the first Olympics in L.A. in more than 40 years, but not many results.
Yet.
Weeks after celebrating his one-year anniversary with the group responsible for organizing and delivering the 2028 Games, Slusher and his team delivered a $2-billion present.
After announcing 15 partnerships in 2025, LA28 met its goal of reaching $2 billion in corporate sponsorship by this year, which Slusher said puts the group well on track to meet or exceed its $2.52-billion goal for domestic partnerships that serves as the largest line item funding the 2028 Games.
Kings struggle to stop Blue Jackets on power play in loss
From the Associated Press: Mason Marchment scored two power-play goals, Kirill Marchenko had one, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Kings 3-1 on Monday night.
Jet Greaves made 23 saves and Damon Severson had two assists as Columbus snapped a four-game road losing streak.
Columbus was without defenseman Zach Werenski, who is day to day with a lower body injury sustained blocking a shot against the Ducks on Saturday. Werenski leads the Blue Jackets in goals, assists and points, and his 14 goals are tied with Washington’s Jakob Chychrun for most in the NHL by a defenseman.
From the Associated Press: Jordan Eberle scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and added an empty-netter in the final minute, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 on Monday night.
Frederick Gaudreau also scored and Kaapo Kakko had two assists for the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer stopped 39 shots.
Matty Beniers set up the go-ahead goal when he slid the puck past defender Radko Gudas and onto the stick of a wide-open Eberle, who snapped a shot from the left circle into the upper-right corner of the net for a 2-1 Kraken lead with 9:56 left.
Montreal’s Howie Morenz scores his 251st goal to become the NHL’s career goal-scoring leader. Morenz’s goal caps the Canadiens’ 3-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
1951 — Norm Van Brocklin’s 73-yard touchdown pass to Tom Fears in the fourth quarter gives the Los Angeles Rams a 24-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns for the NFL title.
1962 — Tommy Brooker kicks a 25-yard field goal 17:54 into overtime, giving the Dallas Texans a 20-17 victory over Houston for the AFL title.
1972 — The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7 on Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception,” in an AFC Divisional playoff game. On 4th-and-10 on their own 40-yard line with 22 seconds remaining and no time outs. Terry Bradshaw, under pressure, throws a pass over the middle to Oakland’s 35-yard line which is deflected by Oakland’s Jack Tatum. Running back Franco Harris catches the deflection at the Raiders’ 43-yard line and runs down the left sideline for a touchdown.
1978 — Bryan Trottier has five goals and three assists to lead the New York Islanders to a 9-4 victory over the Rangers. Trottier sets an NHL record with three goals and three assists in the second period.
1982 — Chaminade, an NAIA school, beats top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 center Ralph Sampson, 77-72, for one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. The game is played at Honolulu’s International Center in front of 3,383 fans.
1996 — Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions rushes for 175 yards in a 24-14 loss to San Francisco to finish with 1,553 yards for the season. It’s Sanders’ third straight season with at least 1,500 yards rushing, a first in the NFL.
2007 — The New England Patriots set an NFL record with their 15th win, the best start in league history, with a 28-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins 28-7.
2007 — Chris Johnson sets an NCAA bowl record with 408 all-purpose yards, and Ben Hartman kicks a 34-yard field goal as time expires to give East Carolina a 41-38 victory over No. 24 Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl.
2008 — The Boston Celtics set a franchise record with their 19th consecutive victory, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 110-91. The Celtics improve to 27-2 — the best start for a two-loss team in NBA history. The 19-game winning streak breaks the Celtics record set in 1981-82.
2012 — New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the Saints’ 34-31 overtime win at Dallas. Brees, with 4,781 passing yards, becomes the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,500 yards in three consecutive seasons.
2013 — Andrew Luck throws for 205 yards to break a single-season rookie record, and his touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne late in the fourth quarter puts Indianapolis in the playoffs with a 20-13 win over Kansas City. Luck, with 4,183 yards, surpasses Cam Newton’s year-old record of 4,051 yards passing by a rookie in the second quarter.
2022 — Washington Capitals center Alex Ovechkin scores two goals to move past Gordie Howe on most NHL career goals list in 4-1 win over visiting Winnipeg Jets.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Reece James (Chelsea): We have had Reece in the team a few times and, ahead of the World Cup, he looks the real deal. We have never questioned his ability, but he falls into the ‘if he is fit’ category. At the moment he has not had an injury for a year and touch wood that continues. His free-kick in the draw at Newcastle was a pearler.
Piero Hincapie (Arsenal): Slightly going under the radar for Arsenal. They brought him in late, when other people were looking at him, and he has been excellent. A solid performance against Everton.
Joachim Andersen (Fulham): For years he has come with class for Fulham. He hits that lovely raking diagonal pass and his organisational skills also help. He organises and marshalls that defence, and did so again against Forest. He is very astute.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham): It is good to see him back. A big season with a World Cup coming up and he is vital for the United States. He had some tough times with injuries but is starting to show he is getting back to his best.
The Chargers got an early Christmas present Monday night courtesy of San Francisco, and they’re still hoping for more under the tree.
With the 49ers beating the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27, the Chargers secured a postseason wild-card berth. The AFC West title is still in play too, and even the top seed in the AFC.
Should the Chargers beat Houston — and if Denver beats the hobbled Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday — the division title will be decided when the Chargers play their regular-season finale at Denver.
Despite a 34-20 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday, the 12-3 Broncos remain the top-seeded team in the conference.
If New England wins out at the New York Jets and at home against Miami, and if the Broncos lose one of their two remaining games, the Patriots are the top seed.
The Chargers have a path to the top seed, but it’s a difficult one. They would need to win out — beating Houston and Denver — and have Jacksonville and New England both lose at least once. If the Chargers and Jaguars win out, Jacksonville would take the No. 1 seed because they beat the Chargers this season.
The world of college football may be awash in uncertainty, but the last several weeks have proven one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Nobody runs like Notre Dame.
When the Irish got jobbed by the College Football Playoff committee and insanely were left out of the CFP, they refused to play another game this season.
Notre Dame ran from the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Then came Monday’s announcement that Notre Dame no longer will regularly play USC, essentially ending a 100-year-old rivalry because the Irish didn’t want to change the dates of the game.
Notre Dame ran from the Trojans.
Call them the Fightin’ Chickens, a once-proud Irish program that demands acquiescence or it will take its ball and go home.
The Irish could have played USC at the beginning of the season, but refused. The Irish could have kept the rivalry alive with a scheduling tweak that would have helped both teams, but refused.
Lots of folks are going to blame USC and coach Lincoln Riley for butchering a Knute Rockne-born tradition that accounted for 78 straight games, not counting 2020, the COVID-19 year. That’s wrong. Nobody has been more critical of Riley than this space, but he’s not the bad guy here.
Anybody who felt the buzz around the CFP first-round games last weekend would attest, this is where USC needs to be playing. If the Trojans truly want to return to greatness, being selected for the CFP is the goal. Not beating Notre Dame. Not even beating UCLA. It’s all about the tournament.
USC needs to put itself in the best possible position to be playing on a mid-December weekend, and that means no longer being the only Big Ten school to play a major nonconference game in the middle of the season or later.
The schedule has become tough enough. The Trojans don’t need to make it tougher with the kind of game nobody else in their conference is playing.
They need Notre Dame in August, not in late October or mid-November.
But, as it turns out, Notre Dame believes it doesn’t need USC at all.
The Irish signed a deal with the CFP that stipulates, beginning next year, if they are ranked in the top 12, they are guaranteed a playoff berth. They can get in the playoffs without risking a loss to the Trojans. They can play it safe and schedule easy and back right in.
USC doesn’t have that luxury. USC isn’t guaranteed squat. USC has a 2026 schedule that even without Notre Dame is a nightmare.
USC and Notre Dame prepare to play in a packed Notre Dame Stadium in October 2023.
(Michael Caterina / Associated Press)
Home games against Ohio State and Oregon. Road games at Indiana and Penn State.
USC doesn’t need a midseason game against Notre Dame making that road even harder.
Jennifer Cohen, the USC athletic director, said as much in a recently posted open letter to the Trojans community.
“USC is the only team in the Big Ten to play a nonconference road game after Week 4 in either of the past two seasons,” she wrote. “USC is also the only team to play a nonconference game after Week 4 in both seasons.”
Trojans fans love the rivalry. The college football world loves the rivalry. It’s Anthony Davis, it’s Carson Palmer, it’s the Bush Push, it has won Heismans and cemented championships.
But times have changed. The landscape is evolving. Everything that college football once represented is up for debate. Even the most venerable of traditions is subject to adjustments.
That’s what the Trojans wanted to do. Not eliminate, but adjust. But Notre Dame football adjusts for no one.
It was indeed a travesty that the two-loss Irish, winners of their last 10 games by double digits, did not get a spot in the national tournament. By the end of the season they were arguably one of the four best teams in the country. They easily could have captured the crown.
Tulane? James Madison? Are you kidding me? As the opening games revealed — the two AAA teams were outscored 92-44 — there is no place for Cinderellas in the CFP.
But that was no reason for Notre Dame to back out of the bowls completely, sacrificing the final game in the careers of the Irish players who will not be going to the NFL just to make a whining point that resonated with nobody.
And, besides, there’s another way Notre Dame could have been a lock for the playoffs.
Join a conference, fool!
By keeping the football team out of the otherwise Irish-infected Atlantic Coast Conference, Notre Dame is raking in big TV bucks that it doesn’t have to share. But this means the Irish are subject to the whims of a committee that could, and did, unconscionably leave them out.
Notre Dame always wants it both ways. It wants its independence, but also wants to dictate a schedule filled with conference-affiliated teams.
In demanding that their game be played in August or not at all, USC finally called Notre Dame’s bluff.
And the Irish did what they recently have done best.
They ran.
The team that initially will replace USC on the Notre Dame schedule?
It’s Brigham Young, the same team that Notre Dame snubbed in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It’s time to close out 2025 with The Times’ All-Star football package.
It’s awards time
Trent Mosley of Santa Margarita holds the CIF state championship Open Division trophy after beating De La Salle.
(Craig Weston)
The unanimous player of the year is Trent Mosley of Santa Margarita. During the postseason, he was unstoppable as a receiver and wildcat quarterback. The Eagles smartly decided he needed to get as many targets and opportunities as possible to turn short passes into long gainers, and he delivered in spectacular fashion. All the people who declined to make him one of their “five-star prospects” perhaps because of his size or a misunderstanding of how fast he is might want to reconsider now that he’s headed to USC and ready to be an impact player. Here’s the profile.
Luke Fahey of Mission Viejo.
(Craig Weston)
The back of the year is Luke Fahey of Mission Viejo. Ohio State is getting its next top quarterback. Accurate with a strong arm and great leadership skills, Fahey set an example of how you can reach the top while waiting your turn. He didn’t become the full-time starter until his senior season for the good of the team. He became a Mission Viejo legend. Here’s the profile.
Braiden McKenna of Los Alamitos, left, opens a hole against Cathedral Catholic.
(Craig Weston)
The lineman of the year is Braiden McKenna of Los Alamitos. Playing center, he helped ignite a ground game that produced two 1,000-yard rushers and a Southern Section Division 2 championship. Here’s the profile.
Los Alamitos football coach Ray Fenton stands with his players during an Alpha League opener at SoFi Stadium.
(Craig Weston)
The coach of the year is Ray Fenton of Los Alamitos. He took an underrated team and guided them to a Division 2 championship without transfers and lots of best friends uniting. Here’s the profile.
With finals taking place or finished, get ready for the transfer portal to open for high school football players looking for new schools for the spring semester.
There have been lots of rumors about players coming to Santa Margarita to play for coach Carson Palmer after the Eagles won the Division 1 title in his rookie season. Mater Dei has had two lackluster freshman classes the last two years, so if the Monarchs intend to keep up in the Trinity League, look for new players checking in.
Top five high school football teams for 2026 BEFORE transfers. 1. St. John Bosco, 2. Santa Margarita, 3. Corona Centennial, 4. Orange Lutheran, 5. Servite.
Mission Viejo has an opening at quarterback, so keep watch who ends up there. Will JSerra players stick around for a new coach or switch to another Trinity League team.
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St. John Bosco has lots of returning players, including two promising quarterbacks who will be juniors. It will be a surprise in today’s environment if both stay. The Braves are expected to get a top defensive back/receiver in the coming days. Sierra Canyon has plenty of back-ups expected to move into starting roles, but it’s been the same problem in recent years for the Trailblazers: Average play at quarterback against the best teams doesn’t get you to be one of the top two teams.
In the City Section, Carson won its 12th championship and gets to build the likely City player of the year, quarterback Chris Fields III. Will Crenshaw continue its rise? Will Birmingham start a new winning streak against City teams? What will happen to coach Robert Garrett, who didn’t get to coach this season at Crenshaw while on administrative leave with no end date in sight. All he does is check in from home waiting for a long and confusing Los Angeles Unified School District investigative process to play out despite reaching 300 career victories.
New coaches at JSerra, Bishop Alemany, St. Francis, Bishop Montgomery, Oaks Christian and St. Paul will offer a glimpse about what direction those private school programs want to take.
JSerra makes historic hire
Finally, a Trinity League school said yes.
Hardy Nickerson of the Chicago Bears poses for his 2007 NFL headshot at photo day in Chicago. He’s the new head coach at JSerra.
(Getty Images / Getty Images)
Hardy Nickerson, a Verbum Dei grad who was an All-Pro linebacker and coached in the NFL, college and high school ranks, was hired by JSerra as its new football coach, becoming the first Black head football coach in the Trinity League since it was formed in 2006. Here’s the report.
New JSerra coach Hardy Nickerson: “I’ve been around a lot of football and coached literally at every level. We’re in the most competitive league in the country, the SEC of high school football, but at the same time, it’s about building young men and mentoring them.”
There’s been excuses in the past, from lack of fit, to lack of coaching experiences to lack of school ties. Nickerson earned this chance based on years of qualifications and coaching at every level, from youth to high school to college to the NFL.
There’s no guarantee of success, however, in a league in which the other five schools have invested lots of money and hard work trying to be successful. There’s an expectation coaching in the league you get about three years and are gone without progress.
Nickerson will face the same challenges as his predecessor, former Azusa Pacific coach Victor Santa Cruz, who came in with strong qualifications but was pushed out following a 3-7 season.
If Nickerson succeeds, it can pave the way for other Black head coaches to get a chance to be a coach at a top private school. It has happened in basketball, but football has been way behind.
Basketball
It’s freedom day for high school basketball players who transferred without moving and have been sitting out the first month of the season. They’re getting the best Christmas present of all — eligibility on Friday.
Many teams will undergo changes that could lead to much-improved performances. Sierra Canyon, Chaminade, Mater Dei, Loyola, Crespi, Arcadia and Pasadena are among the schools getting stronger. Among girls, Etiwanda and Corona Centennial will be getting new players.
Crespi is getting 6-foot-9 junior Rodney Mukendi, which will add much-needed rebounding and a rim protector.
Ontario Christian’s girls’ basketball team has won 14 straight games to start the season. Etiwanda is 7-1. The inevitable meeting between the two should happen in the postseason.
The day after Christmas is always one of the busiest basketball days of the season with tournaments galore. The Classic at Damien leads the tournament action. The fact that sit-out period players become eligible on Dec. 26 will make for interesting matchups and possible surprises.
On Monday in Las Vegas, there will be some great matchups at the Tarkanian Classic, including Redondo Union vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, San Gabriel Academy vs. La Mirada and Santa Margarita vs. Utah Timpview.
It’s not too early to start speculating which teams will challenge defending Division 1 champion St. John Bosco for No. 1 this season. The Braves are loaded with quality returnees, from twins James and Miles Clark to star closer Jack Champlin.
There are at least seven other schools gearing up to make a title run, including JSerra, Orange Lutheran, Huntington Beach, Santa Margarita, Harvard-Westlake, Cypress, Corona and Norco.
Among the elite players, JSerra outfielder Blake Bowen is being mentioned as a possible first-round draft pick. Trey Ebel of Corona is hoping to follow brother Brady as a high pick. Norco has two of the best underclassmen in sophomore pitcher Jordan Ayala and junior shortstop Dylan Seward. Huntington Beach has the best hitter/pitcher in junior Jared Grindlinger. Santa Margarita returns Brody Schumaker, who is switching from second base to shortstop. Harvard-Westlake welcomes a group of off-the-chart freshmen, led by El Segundo Little League World Series hero Louis Lappe.
In softball, Norco looks strong but JSerra has pitching and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame made a big move last season to be a contender with lots of youth.
Notes
Point guard Ryan Gov from Cypress has committed to Azusa Pacifica …
Mark Holman has resigned as football coach at San Dimas …
Mike Moschetti has resigned as football coach at St. Paul …
Former Campbell Hall football coach Dennis Keyes is the new football coach at Bishop Alemany. He was the defensive coordinator at Chaminade this past season and was an All-City player at Birmingham and starting defensive back at UCLA …
Baseball player Malachi Wobrock of Hart has committed to MIT.
From the archives: Colby Parkinson
Oaks Christian tight end Colby Parkinson during his playing days with the Lions.
(Los Angeles Times)
Former Oaks Christian tight end Colby Parkinson, 26, continues to demonstrate as a key player for the Rams why almost everyone was projecting him to be an NFL player since his high school days when he was a three-sport athlete.
From the Washington Post, a story on two high school basketball siblings who are five-star players.
Tweets you might have missed
Always trying to be helpful and certainly not encouraging transfers, but the sit-out period for 2026 in football ends for Southern Section players on Sept. 28 and for City Section Sept. 24.
Don’t name a stadium, a gym, a park, a center, a building or create an award for somebody, then think you can change the decision years later to make more money on someone else. It’s embarrassing, whether done at the high school, college or political level.
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Who: Nigeria vs Tanzania What: CAF Africa Cup of Nations Where: Fez Stadium in Fez, Morocco When: Tuesday, December 23, at 6:30pm (17:30 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 14:30 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
Nigeria’s much-celebrated golden generation was expected to propel the nation to new heights, but another World Cup qualification disappointment has left the Super Eagles searching for answers.
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After the heartbreak of missing out on a trip to North America in 2026, Nigeria arrive in Morocco in search of redemption and continental glory. The three-time champions open their AFCON 2025 campaign against Group C opponents Tanzania, who have appeared at the tournament just three times.
Boasting world-class talent in Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Nigeria are among the favourites to top the group that also features Tunisia and Uganda.
Tuesday’s face-off in Fez pits together Nigeria and Tanzania for only the second time at the continental championships, 45 years after their first meeting at the competition.
Here’s all you need to know about the match:
Why did Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Nigeria were among the best runners-up across the nine African qualifying groups who advanced to the playoffs, but lost 4-3 on penalties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), failing to reach the inter-confederation playoffs.
The Super Eagles, who have made six World Cup appearances, have now failed to qualify for the global showpiece event for the second time in a row.
A poor start to their qualifying campaign, managerial changes and a pay dispute were among the factors that led to their World Cup disappointment.
What happened after the loss to DCR?
Last week, Nigeria submitted a petition to FIFA alleging DRC fielded ineligible players in that decisive playoff match.
The Nigerian football federation said several dual-nationality players had been cleared to play for DRC without meeting the required criteria, but DRC’s federation rejected the allegations.
Coaching turnover for Tanzania
There is no dearth of controversy in Tanzania, too.
Tanzania’s football federation fired its coach, Hemed Suleiman, just a month before AFCON 2025, replacing him with Miguel Gamondi, who will take interim charge of the Taifa Stars for the competition.
Former coach Suleiman led Tanzania to their fourth Cup of Nations appearance and reached the quarterfinals of the African Nations Championships this year. But they failed to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Former Young Africans coach Miguel Gamondi is now in charge of Tanzania’s AFCON 2025 campaign [File: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
Who are Nigeria’s key players to watch?
Nigeria’s squad is packed with talent in all departments, with forwards and former CAF Player of the Year award winners Osimhen and Lookman headlining the group.
Defender Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, along with striker Samuel Chukwueze, are the other high-profile players.
Who are Tanzania’s key players?
Mbwana Samatta, who plays for Ligue 1 club Le Havre, and fellow experienced forward Simon Msuva headline Tanzania’s squad.
Msuva returns after missing the October and November windows and remains the most capped member of the squad. An appearance on Tuesday will mark his 100th international cap.
Defender Mohamed Hussein is a formidable presence in Tanzania’s backline, while youngster Haji Mnoga, who plays for Salford City in the English fourth tier, is also part of the squad.
Form guide
All matches, most recent result last:
Nigeria: L-L-W-W-W
Tanzania: L-L-L-L-D
Head-to-head
Nigeria and Tanzania have met seven times across all competitions, including at the FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria have won four of those matches, while three ended in a draw.
Their last meeting was in 2016 at AFCON, where Nigeria won 1-0.
AFCON records
Nigeria have played at AFCON 20 times, finishing winners on three occasions – most recently lifting the trophy in 2013 – and runners-up five times. Remarkably, they have finished in the top three in 13 of their last 15 AFCON appearances.
Tanzania have never made it past the group stage in their three AFCON appearances. They are also one of only four teams at this year’s edition that have never won an AFCON match, with six defeats and three draws in their nine AFCON matches overall.
The AFCON 2025 is a landmark tournament for Tanzania, as they have qualified for successive finals for the first time.
Nigeria team news
Nigeria will be without centre-back Benjamin Fredrick and full-back Ola Aina, who are both injured.
William Troost-Ekong, the regular captain, is unavailable after recently announcing his retirement from international football, with Ndidi now taking over the captaincy.
Strikers Victor Boniface and Tolu Arokodare were the surprise omissions from the squad.
Dynamic goal-scoring forward Ademola Lookman, left, will be a key player to watch for Nigeria during AFCON 2025 [File: Luc Gnago/Reuters]
They are methodically compiling victories — the latest, Sunday’s 34-17 thumping of the Dallas Cowboys — and perfectly content on the fringes of the national spotlight.
Lots of people wrote them off when those offensive linemen started falling like tall timber, yet the Chargers have found ways to win in spite of that. Seven times in eight games they have walked away victorious, keeping them in the running for the top seed in the AFC.
“We’re not worried about the outside noise,” said edge rusher Khalil Mack, part of a defense that has pitched second-half shutouts two weeks in a row. “Not getting too high, not getting too low. Staying even-keeled and trying to stack wins.”
Despite all that success, the Chargers (11-4) had yet to cement a spot in the postseason by the time they boarded the bus from AT&T Stadium to the airport. They needed a loss or tie by Houston — which beat Las Vegas later Sunday — or by Indianapolis, playing host to San Francisco on Monday night.
As for the Cowboys (6-8), they were eliminated from playoff contention the week before. They were playing for pride and had the NFL’s No. 1 offense, which showed up with Dak Prescott touchdown passes in the first two quarters.
But the quarterback of note in this game was Justin Herbert, who threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns and plunged across the goal line for another score. He also had a 34-yard scramble up the middle, the longest of the game, which ended with a violent collision that had him prone and wincing for a moment.
Clippers forward John Collins hangs on to the rim after dunking in front of Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36), guard Luka Doncic (77) and center Jaxson Hayes (11) on Saturday at Intuit Dome.
“I was proud that we improved from three [after starting] four for 33,” the coach deadpanned. “So we got better as the game progressed.”
With four starters out because of injuries, the Lakers’ ice cold shooting doomed them to a season low in points. Star guard Luka Doncic left the game with 12 points at halftime after a left leg contusion sustained in the first half. Redick noticed the NBA’s leading scorer limping on the court during the second quarter. Fellow starters Austin Reaves (calf), Deandre Ayton (elbow) and Rui Hachimura (groin) already were sidelined as well as key reserve Gabe Vincent (back).
It left them with just one starter in LeBron James, who had 36 points, four rebounds and three assists as the Lakers (19-8) fell behind by 22 but cut the deficit to seven in the fourth quarter before fading again.
USC center Gabe Dynes dunks during a 102-63 win over the UC Santa Cruz at Galen Center on Sunday. Dynes finished with 16 points.
(John McGillen / USC Athletics)
From Ryan Kartje: The call came Monday morning, just six days before USC was slated to play its final nonconference contest. In light of the deadly shooting on Brown’s campus, its men’s basketball team wouldn’t make the trip west. If coach Eric Musselman hoped to test his Trojans again before the new year, he and his USC staff had less than 24 hours to find a replacement.
Which is how USC found itself facing UC Santa Cruz, a 6-6 Division III team with losses to Chapman, Redlands and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, on Sunday. USC had no trouble overwhelming the Banana Slugs in a 102-63 victory. But given the scrambling it took to schedule Santa Cruz, no one was complaining about the seamless victory heading into the Trojans’ winter break.
Musselman, who notched his 250th career win, initially hoped that USC could find a D-1 program to take Brown’s place. But rules limiting the amount of regular-season games a D-1 program can play narrowed that list considerably. It left USC’s coaches counting by hand to decide which teams would fit.
USC’s Jazzy Davidson controls the ball in front of California’s Mjracle Sheppard during the first half Sunday at Chase Center.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
From the Associated Press: Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored a go-ahead layup with 4:05 remaining and finished with a season-best 24 points, leading the No. 19 USC women past California 61-57 on Sunday in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic.
After Davidson’s basket, Londynn Jones hit a jumper the next time down as USC used a 6-0 burst to take control. The Trojans answered each Cal threat with a key defensive play or big basket.
Cal called time out with 43.8 seconds left and trailing 56-54, but as the Golden Bears tried to set up a play, USC’s Kennedy Smith made a steal of Sakima Walker’s bad pass.
From Jay Posner: After days of deliberation and faced with a forecast getting soggier by the day, Santa Anita officials have decided to postpone opening day of the 2025-26 race meeting from Friday until Sunday, Dec. 28.
It’s just the second time since 1976 that Santa Anita will not open on the day after Christmas. The other time was in 2019 for the same reason: wet weather. More than eight inches of rain are projected to fall between Tuesday night and Friday at Santa Anita.
Angels star Mike Trout signs autographs for fans before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on Sept. 8.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
From columnist Bill Shaikin: Christmas is three days away, and you’re running out of time to get a gift for the Angels fan in your life. How about a Dodgers cap?
Next year the Dodgers will try to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series. The Angels will try to end baseball’s longest postseason drought at 11 years, still without much of a plan beyond rushing first-round draft picks to the major leagues while treading the financial waters until Anthony Rendon’s contract runs out.
On Sunday they missed out on Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the 102-loss Chicago White Sox. Of the Angels’ five acquisitions this winter, three did not play in the majors last season, and not because they are up-and-coming prospects.
Author and journalist Shea Serrano’s new book, “Expensive Basketball,” is a New York Times bestseller that highlights unique, breakthrough moments in NBA history.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
From Gustavo Arellano: When Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy this weekend with another Latino finalist looking on from the crowd, the Cuban-American quarterback did more than just become the first Indiana Hoosier to win college football’s top prize, and only the third Latino to do so. He also subtly offered a radical statement: Latinos don’t just belong in this country, they’re essential.
At a time when questions swirl around this country‘s largest minority group that cast us in a demeaning, tokenized light — how could so many of us vote for Trump in 2024? Why don’t we assimilate faster? Why does Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh think it’s OK for immigration agents to racially profile us? — the fact that two of the best college football players in the country this year were Latino quarterbacks didn’t draw the headlines they would’ve a generation ago. That’s because we now live in an era where Latinos are part of the fabric of sports in the United States like never before.
That’s the untold thesis of four great books I read this year. Each is anchored in Latino pride but treat their subjects not just as sport curios and pioneers but great athletes who were and are fundamental not just to their professions and community but society at large.
1894 — The United States Golf Association is founded, becoming the governing body for the game in the country.
1915 — The Federal League folds. Owners of the American and National Leagues buy out half of the owners (Pittsburgh, Newark, Buffalo, and Brooklyn) of the Federal League teams. Phil Ball, owner of the St. Louis Terriers, is allowed to buy the St. Louis Browns of the AL, and Charles Weeghman, owner of the Chicago Whales, buys out the Chicago Cubs of the NL.
1924 — Babe Dye of the Toronto St. Patricks scores five goals in a 10-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.
1946 — The Cleveland Browns beat the New York Yankees 14-9 in the first AAFC championship game.
1969 — Pete Maravich sets an NCAA record by hitting 30 of 31 foul shots, and scores 46 points to lead LSU to a 98-89 victory over Georgia.
1974 — Boston’s Phil Esposito scores two goals, including his 500th goal, to lead the Bruins to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Garden.
1990 — Paul Coffey becomes the second NHL defenseman to record 1000 points. Coffey reaches the milestone with an assist on Kevin Stevens’ goal in second-period of a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders.
1996 — Brett Hull becomes the 24th player in NHL history to score 500 goals, with a hat trick in the St. Louis Blues’ 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Brett and his father, Bobby Hull, are the first father-son tandem to each score 500 goals.
2003 — Brett Favre passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns a day after his father dies, moving into second place in NFL history for career TD passes while leading the Green Bay Packers to a 41-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Favre passes Fran Tarkenton on the NFL’s career list with his 343rd career TD throw.
2005 — Reggie Campbell of Navy ties the NCAA bowl record with five touchdowns and had 290 all-purpose yards, leading the Midshipmen to a 51-30 win over Colorado State in the Poinsettia Bowl.
2006 — Peter Bondra scores his 500th NHL goal early in the third period to snap a 1-all tie and lead Chicago past Toronto 3-1.
2007 — Eathyn Manumaleuna blocks a field goal as time expires to give BYU a 17-16 victory over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.
2009 — Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh becomes the first defensive player voted The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, winning the award after his dominant performance against Texas in the Big 12 title game.
2013 — Peyton Manning finishes 32 for 51 for 400 yards and four touchdown passes to set the single season touchdown mark in Denver’s 37-13 win over Houston. Manning, with 51 touchdown passes, passes Tom Brady (50 in 2007) for the most in a single season in NFL history.
2013 — Tom Brady leads the Patriots to a 41-7 win at Baltimore as New England clinches the AFC East. It’s the 11th division title for Brady, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history.
2016 — Matt Linehan throws for 381 yards and four touchdowns and runs for a another score to help Idaho beat Colorado State 61-50 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. It’s the third-highest scoring game in bowl history. Idaho (9-4) matches its highest victory total since moving to FBS in 1996.
2020 — Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi scores his 644th goal for FC Barcelona during 3-0 win over Real Valladolid to break Pele’s record for most goals for one club; Pele, 643 goals for Santos 1956-74.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
EUGENE, Ore. — Perhaps it was James Madison going for it twice on fourth down on its first drive of the game.
Or, maybe it was coach Bob Chesney calling for a wide receiver pass on the Dukes’ second series of the evening. Even 12th-ranked James Madison successfully pulling off a fake punt could have adequately explained what the scoreboard failed to convey.
It was clear that the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks were in a different class than their visitors in a 51-34 win in a College Football Playoff first round matchup Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Oregon led 48-13 midway through the third quarter before the Dukes added three late touchdowns to make the final score appear closer than the game really was.
“I think the scoreboard itself, every time we got down there we kind of shot ourselves in the foot,” said Chesney, who takes over as UCLA’s head coach after the JMU loss. “If we did not do that, if we did not end with 13 penalties, is this a little bit of a different game? Maybe. But at the same point in time, that’s a tough offense to stop, and I think it’s tough for a lot of teams in the entire country to stop.”
With James Madison’s loss, Group of Five teams fell to 0-4 all-time in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 to No. 6 Mississippi on Saturday, too, while Penn State beat Boise State 31-14 in last year’s Fiesta Bowl. Alabama topped Cincinnati 27-6 in a 2022 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.
Following their loss to Ole Miss, Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall brushed aside any notion of his team not belonging among the last 12 standing.
“We’re our conference champion and the rules are what they were, and I think there should be access for at least one G5 team moving forward,” Sumrall said. “I do. I think you should have given the American champion an opportunity before the ACC champion this year because we beat the ACC champion. So Duke won the ACC Championship; we beat them.”
To Sumrall’s point, Tulane beat a pair of Power Four teams in Northwestern and Duke, but those schools combined to go 14-11 in 2025.
James Madison, meanwhile, lost to its only Power Four opponent this season, with Louisville beating it 28-14 in a game in which the Dukes mustered just 263 yards of total offense. Most of the season, James Madison ran with the ball with ease against its opponents, rushing for over 300 yards in a game five times and over 200 yards in a game nine times.
But on Saturday, the Dukes mostly abandoned the run after quickly falling behind, and instead often turned to Sun Belt player of the year and quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who attempted a career-high 48 passes in the contest. Even so, Barnett was confident his team belonged in the CFP over other Power Four schools.
“I believe people saw that we were meant to be on this level. When you look at the Power Four teams and whatever, the destiny is really — the ball is in your court. You control your own destiny,” Barnett said. “Most of those teams that didn’t make it, they controlled their own destiny, and we handled what we could handle and we didn’t give into outside noise.”
Among Group of Five schools, James Madison did fare the best of any of them on offense in the CFP. The other three programs scored a combined 30 points in their respective playoff games, a total James Madison eclipsed against the nation’s eighth-ranked scoring defense.
But where the Dukes fell flat was slowing down the Ducks’ ninth-ranked scoring offense. Oregon ran the ball with ease, averaging more than 7.7 yards per attempt against James Madison’s run defense that entered the contest allowing the second-fewest yards per game in the country.
As has often been the case in matchups between Power Four and Group of Five teams, the greatest discrepancies existed in the trenches. To a man, James Madison could not adequately match up with Oregon, just as Tulane couldn’t with Ole Miss and many other Group of Five programs before them both failed to do.
“I think there were moments today where I feel like we could play with them,” Chesney said. “ And I think that today, the complimentary football, and us playing in the way we needed to just did not exist.”
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Clipper Kris Dunn grabs Laker Maxi Kleber ‘s jersey in front of a ref Saturday at the Intuit Dome.
(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
The Lakers have been assessed five technical fouls in the last two games because of conduct with officials as frustration over inconsistent calls is starting to boil over. After Doncic, Jaxson Hayes and Marcus Smart were all given technical fouls in the third quarter of Thursday’s win over Utah, Doncic and Smart were T’ed up again Saturday in the first and third quarters, respectively.
“I think if any coach, any player, what we ask for is consistency,” Redick said. “And that’s not to single any official out or any crew out, it’s not about that. We need to know what it is night to night.”
Smart also drew a technical foul against Utah after attempting to talk to an official at halftime. When Smart walked away frustrated, he raised his middle finger toward the official, a gesture that got him fined $35,000 Saturday, the NBA announced.
“Sometimes you got to take the hit to get your point across,” Smart said Saturday.
Redick expressed additional frustration with the lack of transparency in the replay system and murky communication with officials. He said he has not received any feedback when he requests it and the distinction between plays that can and can’t be challenged appears to change every night.
The lack of communication has been frustrating for players as well, Smart said, who met with referees before the Utah game as a team captain, but still had his questions dismissed.
“The captain should be able to come talk to them,” Smart said. “They still don’t want to hear it. So control what you can control. They don’t want to talk, you know, you try and you move on. But it definitely is frustrating when you pour your heart out to this game and the feedback is literally waving you off, telling you to get out your face, and then giving you a tech because you’re asking a simple question.”
