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From Broderick Turner: Two of the NBA’s best defensive clubs collided Wednesday night and with that came the expectations of a slugfest between the Clippers and Orlando Magic.
The Clippers already were not the most potent offense, their 109.2 points per game the eighth fewest in the league. And they had to face a Magic team that gave up the fewest points (102.2) and was second in defensive rating (103.9). Moreover, the Magic were riding a six-game win streak in which none of their opponents had scored more than 100 points and they were doing all this without their best player, Paolo Banchero, who is out because of an oblique injury.
This is what the Clippers were up against and they were without Norman Powell out because of a left hamstring strain. Powell is the team’s leading scorer (23 points per game) making 49% of his shots and 48.7% of his three-pointers.
But the Clippers knew they could hold their own defensively, and with their offense actually humming, they built a 19-point lead in the third quarter and pulled out a 104-93 win at the Intuit Dome.
Yet, even with the Clippers (9-7) grinding out their third straight win, Coach Tyronn Lue was not happy.
His team turned the ball over 25 times, and even though the defense was stellar and the Clippers shot 49.4% from the field and 50% (11 for 22) from three-point range, the poor ballhandling remained an issue they can’t seem to shake.
“We knew it was going to be nasty, but like 25 turnovers is just … It just makes no sense,” an exasperated Lue said. “We’ve got to be all around the board. Just taking care of the basketball.”
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LAKERS
From Dan Woike: Almost 11 months ago to the date, Dalton Knecht was in his worst slump of his season at Tennessee. The jump from the Big Sky to the Southeastern Conference had been going great, the points were pouring in, a faucet that couldn’t be stopped.
And then — trouble.
He went two for seven against Georgia State, one for seven against North Carolina State and two for seven again, this time against Tarleton State. Before he was the SEC’s player of the year, before he was the No. 17 pick in the NBA draft and before he was looking like the shooting answer the Lakers never have been able to put around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Knecht was just a fifth-year senior in one hell of a slump.
“DK, what’s good my man? Just wanted to reach out and say what’s up?” Austin Reaves, his future Lakers teammate, messaged Knecht on Dec. 23. “… Make sure we stay tapped in man. I’ll be watching, and if you ever need anything let me know. I’m around.”
Tuesday night, after Knecht scored 37 points — the most of his young NBA career — the Lakers rookie again mentioned that message from Reaves as being important. It’s the kind of thing you think about after a big night when you’re looking more and more comfortable in the NBA.
DODGERS
From Bill Plaschke: So the Dodgers begin their title defense this week by flirting with baseball’s hottest available star.
Here’s hoping they get ghosted.
No Soto.
So the Dodgers can strengthen baseball’s best lineup, deepen their historic batting order, tighten their versatile defense, become even more exciting, more enchanting, more unbeatable.
Thanks, but no thanks.
No Soto.
It’s not that Juan Soto would be a bad acquisition. He’s one of baseball’s best young players, he raked the Dodgers for a 1.084 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in the World Series, he was everything Aaron Judge was not, and heaven knows the Dodgers can afford him.
From Ben Bolch: There was something driving him besides the need to see if he could get out of bed.
DeShaun Foster had spent the previous afternoon at UCLA Medical Center, his viral symptoms forcing the star freshman into isolation at the team hotel in Pasadena the night before the 1998 cross-town rivalry football game.
Some chicken soup and about five hours of sleep did wonders for his sore throat. Maybe the best high school running back to ever come out of Orange County woke up ready to devour the college that had only wanted him if he would play defensive back.
“After having the type of season that I had my senior year and then being told that I’m not good enough to play running back at this school,” Foster told The Times this week, referring to USC without mentioning it by name, “that’s going to motivate you.”
Now the rookie head coach at his alma mater, the 44-year-old is a lot like his 18-year-old self. He’s trying to show he belongs after making the unconventional move from position coach to head coach. His team’s bowl fortunes hang in the balance. And, of course, he wants to pound that other L.A. school into the perfectly manicured field at his home stadium.
“I’ve been in it a long time,” Foster said of the rivalry, “so I understand the importance of it.”
UCLA BASKETBALL
From Ben Bolch: In case anyone had forgotten about him amid all the newcomers dotting UCLA’s roster, Sebastian Mack provided a reminder with every foray toward the basket Wednesday night.
He’s still here. Dismiss him at your own risk.
On a night that the frontcourt duo of Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr. continued to provide a smorgasbord of offense for the Bruins, Mack was their leading scorer on the way to an 84-70 victory over Idaho State at Pauley Pavilion.
Mack contributed 21 points off the bench on the strength of 15 free throws for the Bruins (4-1), who have won three consecutive games in convincing fashion since their setback against New Mexico earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Bilodeau and Dailey continued to carry a group of starters that hasn’t gotten much offensive production from the guards. It was a similar story Wednesday, with Kobe Johnson, Lazar Stefanovic and Skyy Clark combining for just 10 points.
USC BASKETBALL
From Andrés Soto: As the game dwindled down in its final minutes, USC’s Chibuzo Agbo held the ball in the post under the basket with a player defending him. He was seemingly out of options until he found Matt Knowling cutting to the basket and fed him a bounce pass. Knowling slammed home the exclamation-point basket during the Trojans’ 82-68 victory over the San José State Spartans at the Galen Center on Wednesday night.
USC needed a balanced effort to bounce back from its first loss Sunday against California.
“It’s our job to try to win every possession,” USC coach Eric Musselman said after the win. “Defensively, you want perfection. Offensively, you want perfection. I’m still trying to figure this out.”
CHARGERS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: It was one of the darkest moments in J.K. Dobbins’ career. The preseason game in 2021 when two Washington defenders sandwiched him on a tackle and bent his knee and tore two ligaments. It somehow can still bring a smile to Dobbins’ face.
“Because,” the Chargers running back said, “I made it through that storm.”
The storm of two season-ending injuries in three years has cleared to reveal wide-open running lanes for Dobbins. Entering a prime-time reunion against his former team — at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night — Dobbins is a leading candidate for NFL comeback player of the year, a resurgence that matches his new franchise’s rise.
KINGS
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 24 shots, Jason Zucker scored the game’s only goal, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Kings 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Luukkonen had six saves in the first period, six in the second and 12 in the third to get his first shutout of the season in his return after being sidelined for two games because of a lower-body injury. The Sabres have won five of seven.
David Rittich made 18 saves for the Kings, who have lost three of four.
With the game scoreless after two periods, Zucker scored 38 seconds into the third on the power play by redirecting Rasmus Dahlin’s shot past Rittich.
From Harvard to high-scorer: Kings’ Alex Laferriere acing his start to season
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1953 — Notre Dame ties Iowa 14-14 by faking injuries in both halves. With two seconds to go in the first half, a Notre Dame player stops the clock by faking an injury and the Fightin’ Irish score on the next play. With six seconds left in the game and Notre Dame out of timeouts, two players fake injuries and the Irish score on the last play to tie.
1965 — The Cotton Bowl is packed with 76,251 fans, giving the Dallas Cowboys their first home sellout. The Cleveland Browns spoil the day with a 24-17 win.
1971 — The New York Rangers score eight goals in the third period of a 12-1 rout over the California Golden Seals.
1981 — Brigham Young’s Jim McMahon passes for 552 yards in a 56-28 victory over Utah. Gordon Hudson sets the NCAA record for yards gained by a tight end with 259.
1982 — The NFL resumes play after seven weeks of the season were canceled when the NFL Players Association went on strike Sept. 23.
1987 — The Columbia Lions extend their Division I-record losing streak to 41 games with a 19-16 loss to Brown. Columbia gives up a touchdown with 47 seconds left in the game.
1987 — Southwestern Louisiana quarterback Brian Mitchell rushes for 271 yards and four touchdowns and passes for 205 yards in a 35-28 victory over Colorado State.
1998 — Villanova’s Brian Westbrook becomes the first player to record 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season and catches two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 27-15 victory over Rhode Island.
2004 — Roger Federer wins a record 13th straight final, beating Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-2 in the title match of the ATP Masters Cup. Federer breaks the record of 12 straight finals victories shared by Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.
2008 — Michigan’s 42-7 drubbing by Ohio State put a merciful end to the worst season in Michigan’s 129 years of intercollegiate football. The Wolverines (3-9) lose the most games in school history.
2010 — Jimmie Johnson becomes the first driver in the seven-year history of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship to overcome a point deficit in the season finale, finishing second to Ford 400 winner Carl Edwards while winning his record fifth consecutive title.
2015 — Brent Burns scores twice and Patrick Marleau gets his 1,000th career point — an assist on Burns’ first goal — to lift the San Jose Sharks over the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1.
2015 — Wes Washpun scores 21 points as Northern Iowa stuns top-ranked North Carolina 71-67 for its first win over the nation’s No. 1 team. The Panthers use a 29-8 run in the second half to turn a 50-34 deficit into a 63-58 lead. The Tar Heels scheduled the trip to Cedar Falls so senior Marcus Paige could play in his home state. Paige doesn’t play because of a broken bone in his right hand.
2016 — Mackenzie Hughes holes an 18-foot par putt from off the green to win the RSM Classic and become the first rookie in 20 years to go wire-to-wire for his first PGA Tour victory. Four players return for the third extra playoff hole at the par-3 17th. Hughes makes his putt and watches Blayne Barber, Henrik Norlander and Camilo Villegas all miss par putts from 10 feet or closer.
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, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.