Howdy, I’m your host, Austin Knoblauch, filling in for Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.
From Dan Woike: The big picture demanded that the Lakers be smart; the small picture demanded the Lakers play a little tougher Thursday night.
Anthony Davis, who missed most of the Lakers’ game on Christmas, needed the night off because of lingering soreness in his sprained left ankle. Gabe Vincent needed more time to recover from an oblique strain.
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Removing key pieces, especially one as critical as Davis, highlighted something JJ Redick’s one-time coach Doc Rivers used to say: winning any game in the NBA is hard.
The Lakers were going to need a big night from someone they rely on and a career night from someone they’re truly starting to.
LeBron James and Max Christie combined to score 66 points, Christie finishing with a career-best 28, in the Lakers’ 114-106 win over the Trail Blazers.
“Tonight was a career night for me,” Christie said, “so this is something that I want to hang on to and try to replicate as much as possible.”
James made a season-high seven three-pointers, needing only 10 attempts, on his way to 38 points as the Lakers (19-14) fought through a rocky fourth quarter. And Christie, cementing his place as the team’s shooting guard, hit five threes and aggressively cut off the ball with the Portland defense focused on James and Austin Reaves.
“He’s putting in the work and it’s paying off for him and [we] got coaches who believe in him,” James said of Christie. “We believe in him, and he was spectacular tonight on both ends of the floor.”
Lakers-Trail Blazers box score
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RAMS
Rams edge rusher Jared Verse defends during a win over the New England Patriots on Nov. 17.
(Winslow Townson / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein: Jared Verse initially thought he might have done something wrong.
When Verse woke up from a post-practice nap this week, the rookie edge rusher saw that he had three missed phone calls from coach Sean McVay.
“I thought I was getting fired,” Verse said.
Instead, McVay informed Verse that he had been voted to the Pro Bowl Games, an honor made official Thursday when the NFL announced the rosters.
CHARGERS
Linebacker Khalil Mack was one of three Chargers named to Pro Bowl rosters on Thursday.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack, safety Derwin James Jr. and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater were selected to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Thursday.
Mack earned his ninth career Pro Bowl selection with six sacks, 15 quarterback hits, six tackles for loss and nine pass breakups. The 11-year veteran is the only player in the NFL this season to have at least five sacks and nine pass breakups.
With Mack and James leading the way, the Chargers have the league’s best scoring defense, allowing 17.6 points per game entering Week 18.
“Those two guys, having those two as leaders, as veterans, made my job a lot easier coming in here,” first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “Obviously, they’ve been great players before, but just to see them rewarded for it is great.”
UCLA MEN’S BASKETBALL
UCLA guard Skyy Clark and the Bruins will work to silence hostile crowds as they begin their first Big Ten road games.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
From Ben Bolch: When Tyler Bilodeau, Kobe Johnson and the other UCLA starters approach center court for tipoff against Nebraska on Saturday inside Pinnacle Bank Arena, the roars from a sold-out crowd washing over them, one thing will be thunderously clear.
They’re not in Gill Coliseum, Maples Pavilion or any of the other sleepy Pac-12 arenas anymore.
Noise will be a constant companion as UCLA navigates its first Big Ten schedule. Nine conference teams are averaging at least 10,000 fans for home games, with Indiana’s average of 16,514 leading the way. Purdue ranks second with 14,876 fans per home game, followed closely by Nebraska (14,848), Michigan State (14,797) and Illinois (14,789).
“I don’t think I can name a single Big Ten stadium where their fans don’t come and, like, show out and support and they’re talking trash,” said UCLA junior guard Skyy Clark, a veteran of the experience after having spent his freshman season at Illinois. “It definitely gets loud and rowdy, so it’s a fun environment to play in.”
BASKETBALL
LeBron James, right, celebrates with his sons Bronny, left, and Bryce after passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time NBA leading scorer during the Lakers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 7, 2023.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
From Steve Henson: Milestones are routine for LeBron James these days. He turned 40 on Dec. 30 and the next day became the first player in NBA history to appear in a game in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s.
Earlier in December, he set an NBA record for career minutes played. He’s already the NBA all-time scoring leader and has four NBA championships and three Olympic gold medals. James also made history by playing in the same game as his oldest son, Bronny, in the Lakers’ season-opening win Oct. 23.
Anything left to accomplish? Well, playing alongside not just one, but two of his sons comes to mind after Bryce James committed to Arizona. Bryce, a 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard at Sierra Canyon High in Chatsworth, is rated a three-star prospect by 247 Sports.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley needs 101 rushing yards to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL’s single-season record, but he will likely be held out of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the New York Giants to rest up for the playoffs.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: Saquon Barkley probably won’t play Sunday in the Philadelphia Eagles’ regular-season finale against the New York Giants.
That means former Rams running back Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 rushing yards is most likely safe for at least another year.
It also means the Eagles should enter the playoffs with a healthy and well-rested Barkley, who last week became only the ninth NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
And unfortunately, Barkley said, it means that his father, Alibay, might not get to see the family name listed at the top of one of the NFL’s most prominent records. According to Barkley, his father was taking the news harder than anyone, including the star running back himself.
CLIPPERS
Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams, center, looks to pass under pressure from Clippers forward Nicolas Batum, left, and guard Kevin Porter Jr. during the first half of the Clippers’ 116-98 loss Thursday.
(Nate Billings / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their franchise-record 13th consecutive regular-season game, 116-98 over the Clippers on Thursday night.
The Thunder trailed by 16 in the first half before pulling within 52-48 at halftime. Shaking off a cold shooting first half, the Thunder exploded for 42 third-quarter points and an 18-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander also had a game-high eight assists for the Thunder, who are 28-5 and have won 17 of their last 18 regular-season games. He did not play in the fourth quarter.
DUCKS
Ducks forward Troy Terry celebrates with teammates after scoring in the second period of a 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
(Jonathan Kozub / NHLI via Getty Images)
From the Associated Press: Troy Terry scored his second goal of the game at 3:34 of overtime to give the Ducks a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
Terry added an assist in a three-point night, Radko Gudas and Leo Carlsson also scored and John Gibson stopped 27 shots for the Ducks, who improved to 16-17-4.
Gudas forced overtime when his screened shot from the point beat Connor Hellebuyck with 1:10 left in regulation and Gibson off for an extra attacker.
Ducks forward Troy Terry celebrates with teammates after scoring in the second period of a 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
(Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dame’s defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday that sent the Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, seventh-seeded Notre Dame (13-1) made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman.
“Our coaches called the game aggressive. Our players executed, put everything on the line for this university and this football team,” Freeman said. “I’m really proud of them. Proud of the way they handled the events of the last 24 hours.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1920 — Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sells pitcher-outfielder Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 plus a $350,000 loan.
1931 — Nels Stewart of the Montreal Maroons scores two goals four seconds apart in the third period of a 5-3 victory over the Boston Bruins.
1946 — George Woolf falls off head first from his mount, Please Me, as he rounds the clubhouse turn in the fourth race at Santa Anita Park. Suffering from a concussion, the 35-year-old jockey, is taken to the hospital where he dies the following day. Woolf, known as “The Iceman” for his coolness in the saddle, has 3,784 mounts, 721 wins, 589 seconds and 468 thirds, with earnings of $2,856,125 in his 18-year career.
1973 — A 12-member group headed by George Steinbrenner buys the New York Yankees from the Columbia Broadcasting System for $10 million.
1991 — Wayne Gretzky scores three goals, including his 700th, as the Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Islanders 6-3.
1993 — The Buffalo Bills stage pro football’s biggest comeback to beat the Houston Oilers 41-38 in overtime in the first round of the NFL playoffs. The Oilers held a 35-3 lead 1:41 into the third quarter. Frank Reich throws four touchdown passes to give Buffalo its first lead of the game 38-35. Al Del Grecco’s 26-yard field goal ties the game. Steve Christie kicks the game-winning 32-yard field goal in overtime.
1995 — Nebraska, the fourth team to finish 13-0 in Division I-A football history, wins its first national football title since 1971 as the Cornhuskers are the overwhelming choice in The Associated Press poll.
1998 — Michigan wins its first national championship since 1948 as the Wolverines are officially declared No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. The coaches poll jumps Nebraska to the No. 1 spot, creating a split national championship for the third time in the 1990s.
1999 — Brian Bellows of the Washington Capitals, has a goal and an assist, including the 1,000th point of his NHL career, to lead Washington past Toronto 5-2.
2003 — Ohio State completes an unlikely, unbeaten run to their first national title in 34 years with a 31-24 double-overtime win over Miami at the Fiesta Bowl.
2007 — High profile Miami Dolphins NFL head coach Nick Saban resigns after agreeing to return to college football and take head coaching job at Alabama.
2010 — Chris Johnson rushes for 134 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee’s 17-13 win over Seattle and finishes the year with 2,006 yards.
2011 — Connecticut’s nearly three-year hold on the top ranking ends when they were overtaken by Baylor and drop to No. 2 in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. Connecticut, which had it’s 90-game win streak snapped by Stanford on Dec. 30, had been the top team for a record 51 straight weeks, beginning Feb. 18, 2008.
2015 — A month shy of 43, Jaromir Jagr scores three times to pass Gordie Howe and becomes the oldest NHL player to record a hat trick, leading New Jersey to a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
2016 – Jimmy Butler breaks Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls record for points in an NBA half, scoring 40 of his 42 points in the second half to lead the Bulls in a 115-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
2023 — Cristiano Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for the “biggest salary ever in football”, leaving Manchester United after criticizing it publicly.
Compiled by the Associated Press
And finally
Lakers star LeBron James continues to defy his age. Check out these highlights from his big game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
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.