From Dan Woike: The sophistication that NBA teams have access to can break the game down to atom-sized details. Cameras measure every step and chart every inch traveled, systems in practice arenas tally the angle of descent from each jump shot, and discoveries that could change expected wins by even a single percentage point are game changers.
But outside of the equations, the spreadsheets and the computations, sometimes basketball is simple.
Be taller. Be faster. More forceful, more intentional. And make your threes.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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Needing a win to clinch their group and earn a spot in the knockout stage of the NBA’s first in-season tournament, the Lakers were way bigger than Utah, way more assertive, way more accurate, and eventually, way more successful in a 131-99 win Tuesday.
The Lakers (9-6) will host a quarterfinal game Dec. 4 or Dec. 5, with a good chance they’ll end up as the top-seeded team in the conference thanks to their plus-74 point differential.
NFL
Joey Bosa hangs his head as he observes Chargers-Packers action from the sideline on crutches.
(Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein, Jeff Miller and Helene Elliott: The Chargers’ might have made thoughts of a playoff berth disappear with a 23-20 road loss to the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, the Rams were able to bounce back and complete a sweep of the Seattle Seahawks, 17-16. Los Angeles Times Rams beat writer Gary Klein, Chargers beat writer Jeff Miller and columnist Helene Elliott discuss what happened and upcoming prospects:
Coaches will say one play does not lose a football game, but after a day-long grind filled with self-inflicted wounds the Chargers finally had taken the lead late in the fourth quarter and then … Asante Samuel Jr.’s penalty on third and 20 on a pass that did not look very catchable. Isn’t that one?
Miller: There were way too many losing-type plays by the Chargers on Sunday to pin this one on just that penalty. Samuel postgame also said he thought the pass was uncatchable, by the way. The Chargers still had a chance to stop Green Bay after that call and failed. They also had a chance to tie or take the lead after that call and failed. This was just an all-around poor showing by a team not good enough to survive poor showings.
Is Joey Bosa’s injury record likely the reason the Chargers drafted Tuli Tuipulotu? There is an “out” from Bosa’s contract after this season. Think the Chargers would consider moving on from Bosa?
Miller: The Chargers are facing an offseason of some significant financial gymnastics given all the dead-cap money hanging over their heads. Bosa definitely is one player whose future is in question. Right now, though, the more immediate uncertainty is who will be making those moves. General manager Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley both could be let go, leaving the roster retooling to someone else.
UCLA BASKETBALL
Chaminade forward Chris Bready tries to stop UCLA guard Will McClendon from passing the ball Tuesday in Honolulu.
(Marco Garcia / Associated Press)
From Ben Bolch: Eleven minutes remained in the first half. Every UCLA starter was on the bench.
It looked as if they might not need to come back.
Pulverizing undersized Chaminade with their size, the Bruins had rolled to a quick 24-point lead in the teams’ second game of the Maui Invitational. The Silverswords, a tiny college basketball outfit known for the occasional supersized upset, had missed 16 of their first 17 shots, including their first 11 three-point attempts.
Then, in a change as swift as an island breeze, everything shifted.
Chaminade made one three-pointer. Then another. And another.
The Bruins committed one turnover. Then another. And another.
It never got truly scary for the Bruins, whose lead never fell into single digits Tuesday, but their 76-48 victory was not quite the easy afternoon they envisioned after building that big lead.
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ANGELS
Former Angels outfielder Tim Salmon poses in front of a display commemorating the team’s 2002 World Series championship at his house in Scottsdale, Ariz. Salmon was seriously injured in freak houseboat accident over the summer.
(Rick Scuteri / Los Angeles Times)
From Mike DiGiovanna: The usual throng of 25 to 30 family members and friends will gather in Tim and Marci Salmon’s spacious Santa Barbara-style home in the tony Equestrian Manor enclave of this desert city on Thursday for a Thanksgiving feast.
Tim, the former Angels slugger who helped the franchise win its only World Series title in 2002, will cook and carve four turkeys — two in the smoker, one in the deep fryer, one in the oven — while Marci, his wife of 34 years, will decorate the house and organize who brings what salads, side dishes and desserts.
Salmon, a part-time Angels television analyst, will say grace, and each guest will be asked to say something they’re thankful for, a holiday tradition that can be perfunctory for many families but one Marci “is really good about making meaningful,” Tim said.
Those simple expressions of gratitude will hold even more significance for the Salmon family after Tim shattered his left wrist last June in a freak houseboat accident that could have killed him.
SOCCER
Thomas Rongen exclaims and spreads his arms during the premiere of “Next Goal Wins” during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10.
(Joel C Ryan / Invision via Associated Press)
From Kevin Baxter: Spoiler alert: The following column reveals plot details from the film “Next Goal Wins.”
Thomas Rongen has packed a lot of soccer into his 67 years.
He played for 11 teams and coached for a dozen more. He was there for the end of the NASL, the start of MLS and birth of Chivas USA. With the L.A. Aztecs he played alongside Johan Cruyff and against Franz Beckenbauer and he won titles on multiple levels, from high school to the pros.
If he isn’t U.S. soccer royalty, he’s certainly part of the noble class.
But what he will be forever remembered for is taking American Samoa, the worst team in the world, to a World Cup qualifying victory so improbable it inspired two movies — both of which we’ll get to in a bit.
“It was bigger than any ring I’ve won or any trophy I’ve lifted as a player or as a coach,” Rongen, now mostly retired from coaching and working as a TV analyst for CBS and Inter Miami, the MLS club for which Lionel Messi plays, said of his Samoan adventure.
(Mark Ylen / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Washington moved ahead of Florida State and into College Football Playoff position, coming in fourth in the rankings Tuesday night.
The selection committee’s top three remained the same with Georgia first followed by Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
The Buckeyes and Wolverines face off Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., with the winner advancing to the Big Ten championship game.
Washington had been stuck behind Florida State in fifth for the first three weeks of the rankings, but the Huskies added another victory against a ranked team last week when they won at Oregon State.
College Football Playoff rankings
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Justin Pippen scored 23 points for Sierra Canyon.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
From Eric Sondheimer: The sons of former NBA great Scottie Pippen have found comfort in being late bloomers. Scotty Pippen Jr. waited until the end of his junior season at Sierra Canyon to get his first scholarship offer, became a standout his senior year and moved on to Vanderbilt and the NBA. It’s happening again. His brother Justin, a 6-foot-4 senior, is suddenly much in demand, with Stanford the latest college to offer him a scholarship.
Justin Pippen scored 23 points Tuesday night to help Sierra Canyon improve to 3-0 with a 98-41 win over Highland on a night Bryce James was back on the bench in street clothes after transferring from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and returning to the school he had attended since seventh grade. Also returning is Kam Martin, the son of Kenyon Martin. He previously was at Reseda Cleveland.
The paparazzi and celebrities may soon return, but Pippen deserves attention for his skills. He’s preparing for some terrific matchups come January in the powerful Mission League, where guards such as Trent Perry of Harvard-Westlake and Mercy Miller of Notre Dame are waiting.
Bryce James leaves Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, returns to Sierra Canyon
It will be running vs. passing in City Section Division II championship game
MLB
New San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt speaks during a news conference to announce his hiring on Tuesday in San Diego.
(Denis Poroy / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: The San Diego Padres have given Mike Shildt another chance to manage in the big leagues, just two years after his run with St. Louis ended abruptly despite him leading the Cardinals to three straight playoff appearances and winning the 2019 NL Manager of the Year Award.
Shildt signed a two-year contract on Tuesday to replace Bob Melvin, who was hired away by his hometown San Francisco Giants on Oct. 25 with a year left on his contract with the Padres. That ended a fractured two-year relationship with general manager A.J. Preller.
“I’m really grateful for a second act,” Shildt said at a Petco Park news conference. “Not everybody gets it. You take for granted there are only 30 of these jobs. I promise you I won’t take this one for granted. I’m excited about our team.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1945 — Jim Benton of the Cleveland Rams is the first NFL player to have more than 300 receiving yards in a game. Benton has 10 receptions for 303 yards and a touchdown in a 28-21 victory over the Detroit Lions.
1950 — The Fort Wayne Pistons edge the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18 in the lowest-scoring game in NBA history. John Oldham leads the Pistons with five points and George Mikan had 15 of the Lakers’ points.
1959 — The AFL holds their first player draft. First round choices are Boston, Gerhard Schwedes; Buffalo, Richie Lucas; Dallas, Don Meredith; Denver, Roger LeClerc; Houston, Billy Cannon; Los Angeles, Monty Stickles; Minneapolis, Dale Hackbart; New York, George Izo.
1965 — Muhammad Ali knocks out Floyd Patterson in the 12th round to retain the world heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
1981 — Kellen Winslow of the San Diego Chargers catches five touchdown passes in a 55-21 rout of the Oakland Raiders.
1986 — Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocks out Trevor Berbick in the second round to win the WBC heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
1986 — Wayne Gretzky, playing in his 575th NHL game, scores his 500th goal in the Edmonton Oilers’ 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
1992 — North Carolina wins its seventh straight Division I women’s soccer title with a 9-1 win over Duke. The Tar Heels also set the record for most goals in a championship game.
1998 — John Elway of the Denver Broncos joins Dan Marino as the only players with 50,000 yards as the Broncos post a 40-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders.
2003 — The Montreal Canadiens beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3, in the NHL’s first outdoor game. The game marking the 86th anniversary of the founding of the league is played in front of a record crowd of 57,167 at a football arena in Edmonton.
2003 — Utah ends BYU’s NCAA-record streak of 361 consecutive games without being shutout when the Utes beat the Cougars 3-0 in Provo, Utah. Wind and snow limits both offenses. Bryan Borreson’s 41-yard field goal is the all the 9-2 Utes need to clinch the Mountain West conference title. The Cougars had scored in every game dating back to Oct. 3, 1975.
2006 — Teemu Selanne scores his 500th career goal in Anaheim’s 3-2 loss to Colorado. Selanne, the 36th player in NHL history to reach the milestone, joins Jari Kurri as the only Finnish-born NHL players to score 500 goals.
2008 — Abilene Christian sets a record for points in an NCAA playoff game, beating West Texas A&M 93-68 in the second round of the Division II playoffs.
2010 — Alex Kovalev records his 1,000th point with a power-play goal midway through the first period of Ottawa’s game against Los Angeles.
2012 — New England embarrasses the New York Jets with a 35-point second quarter in a 49-19 victory to give and Bill Belichick his 200th NFL victory. Belichick is the eighth coach in NFL history with 200 career victories, including the playoffs.
2014 — Samaje Perine of Oklahoma sets the single-game FBS record by rushing for 427 yards in the Sooners’ 44-7 in over Kansas. Perine breaks the single-game FBS record of 408 set by Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon a week earlier.
2015 — Novak Djokovic wins his fourth straight title at the season-ending ATP finals by beating six-time champion Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4. Djokovic, who won three Grand Slam titles this year and reached the final in the other, caps the best season of his life.
2020 — Russian Daniil Medvedev wins ATP World Tour Finals tennis title beating Dominic Thiem of Austria 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 in London.
Compiled by the Associated Press
And finally
Don’t forget to visit latimes.com/sports for the latest news throughout the holiday weekend and look for the next edition of The Sports Report on Monday morning. Happy Thanksgiving.
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, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.