Pete Davidson has officially entered fatherhood, welcoming his first child with British model-actor Elsie Hewitt.
The former “Saturday Night Live” comedian, 32, and his girlfriend, 29, are new parents to a baby girl, Hewitt announced Thursday. “Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025,” the model captioned her Instagram post.
Hewitt shared scenes from Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson’s arrival, including their first family selfie, images from the labor room and snaps of her own post-push sushi meal. In her caption, Hewitt described her daughter as “my best work yet.”
“I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief,” she added.
Davidson apparently had other words to herald the arrival of his first child: “Wu tang forever.”
The pair welcomed their first child after less than a year of dating. Davidson (whose dating history notably includes high-profile relationships with Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande) was first romantically linked to Hewitt (who previously dated Jason Sudeikis and Benny Blanco) in March when they were seen kissing in Palm Beach, Fla. Two months after making their relationship red carpet official, the couple announced in July they were expecting a little one.
In addition to recovering from labor, Hewitt revealed that she is simultaneously bouncing back from another procedure. In an Instagram story posted Thursday, Hewitt shared a selfie of herself in a pink hoodie with an ice pack around her cheeks as she held onto her daughter’s car seat.
“Who else had to get a wisdom tooth removed directly from the hospital the day after they gave birth,” she captioned the photo.
What do fallen empires leave behind? Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida’s new work of fiction attempts to answer that question. “Three Stories of Forgetting” probes the inner worlds of three men scarred by their participation in Portugal’s history of rapacious colonialist intervention that ended in 1999. For nearly 600 years, the European republic was involved in a bloody land grab that at its peak controlled over 5.5 million square miles across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Pereira de Almeida’s protagonists — Celestino, a slave trader; Boa Morte, a former soldier who had been conscripted to fight his fellow Africans in the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence; and Bruma, an elderly plantation worker — live in a liminal state between past and present, searching for some measure of solace in a world that offers none. I chatted with Pereira de Almeida, who was born in Angola but was reared in Lisbon, about her haunting triptych of stories.
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Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida is author of “Three Stories of Forgetting,” a new novel exploring the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and the Portuguese Empire.
(Humberto Brito)
Three stories of forgetting … but nothing is forgotten among these men.
All three men are tormented by what they can’t forget, although they don’t feel exactly guilty, in the case of Celestino and Boa Morte. Bruma is a different story. The “forgetting” of the title relates to the omission of the figures who do not appear in the book, or who appear only occasionally, episodically. Those who are forgotten are the victims and their story. These three stories are also chapters of a more general story of violence, that of colonialism, whose victims are largely forgotten to this day.
Boa Morte, a valet in Lisbon, carries an enormous burden of guilt; in order to expiate it, he tries to save a young street vagrant. Of course, all attempts at redemption in the book are futile — why is that?
I don’t think redemption is as common as much of today’s fiction seems to suggest. The experience of guilt or of an existence haunted by ghosts seems more common to me. Boa Morte was forgotten by Portugal, the country for which he gave his life, and his hateful behavior left him utterly alone. What would redeem his life? Boa Morte is inspired by a man I knew who became my friend and lived on the streets of Lisbon, just like the character. One day, he was found dead in an alley. Not all lives know redemption.
The three protagonists are captives of their pasts, because the past is still present. Can you speak to that?
After reading [British philosopher] Peter Geach’s sentence that opens his book “The Virtues,” I became interested in inquiring into the lives of people who may be, so to speak, “dead in the eyes of God.” The problem with this possibility, however, is that we may die in the eyes of God early in life, without knowing it, and yet live to old age and remain here.
This sentence is important to me, regardless of its religious meaning. It is important in that it opens up the possibility that we may have exhausted our share of grace in life and, as humans, need to keep going.
All three of these characters are looking for some kind of solace — whether it’s reverting to some kind of quiet life among living things that don’t talk back, or building a lean-to as a kind of sanctuary.
Perhaps these places they seek are, in very different ways, the only possible remnants of rest: and also places where questions have ceased. Among living things that don’t talk there are no witnesses, there is no guilt.
You can’t write stories like these without some degree of empathy — do you feel sorry for these men? What do you feel for them as a writer?
I agree with that. I don’t feel sorry for them, but I tried to get closer to them and understand them, without imposing my ideas and opinions on them, something I don’t like to do when I write novels. Instead, I preferred, as I usually prefer, to fly around them like an insect, to study them, to let them talk to me: It is a non-imposing approach, which lets the characters speak. In general, I tend to be interested in characters I don’t like and who wouldn’t treat me with the kindness I show them. It’s my way of seeking justice, in its contradictions, and of exploring ambiguity in human behavior: I want to create hospitality, and that means being able to extend my hospitality to characters whose deeds I condemn.
(This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
📰 The Week(s) in Books
Carolyn Kellogg, Bethanne Patrick and Mark Athitakis select the best books of the year for The Times.
(Photo illustration by Josep Prat Sorolla / For The Times; book jackets from Scribner, Riverhead and Penguin Press)
Jim Ruland talked to Thurston Moore about his new book that chronicles the Sonic Youth guitarist’s love of free jazz. “I go out with my band and I play typical band gigs,” says Moore, “but I prefer being in a basement with a free jazz drummer any day of the week.”
Mark Athitakis finds favor with W. David Marx’s “Blank Space,” a sharp critique that maps the decline of our present culture, as well as Adam Morgan’s biography of 20th century literary firebrand Margaret C. Anderson, a trailblazer who bucked the prevailing culture to champion challenging art, including Joyce’s “Ulysses.” “If we want more works like ‘Ulysses’ in our world (and far less cringe) … it will demand a stubbornness from creators and dedication from consumers that the current moment is designed to strip from us,” Athatakis writes.
Apollo, one of two bookstore cats, sleeping in a box at the Iliad bookstore in North Hollywood.
(Gerard Burkhart / For The Times)
The San Fernando Valley has lost many of its beloved bookshops over the last two decades, but North Hollywood’s Iliad bookshop remains. The store, which first opened its doors 28 years ago and remains the greatest purveyor of used books in all of Los Angeles, is the kind of tangled labyrinth teeming with titles that one can get lost in for hours. I spoke with Dan Weinstein about what is moving out of the doors this holiday season.
What is selling in the Christmas rush this year?
We tend to sell the same kinds of titles all year round, so it’s standard literature, science fiction and the handful of authors we can’t keep on the shelves: Octavia Butler, Charles Bukowski, Sarah J. Maas and Brandon Sanderson. Also, a lot of gift cards! Actually, January is our strongest month for sales — winter kicks in and people like to stay at home and read.
Full disclosure: I’ve been a loyal Iliad customer since the ’90s. Do you tend to see the same faces across the years?
Oh, we have very serious hardcore customers that come over and over again. Some of them even come on a daily basis. Fortunately, we are always putting good new inventory out.
What about Hollywood business? You have a tremendous inventory of art and photography books. Do set designers come in to find inspiration?
We do sell a lot to the entertainment industry. That really keeps us alive. If we were doing business in a city other than Los Angeles, I don’t think we would do nearly as well.
Long Beach City College’s performing arts center is officially being named after Long Beach legend and LBCC alumna Jenni Rivera.
Last week LBCC’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the new facility the Jenni Rivera Performing Arts Center.
“This naming recognizes not just an extraordinary performer, but a daughter of Long Beach whose voice and spirit transcended borders,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, president of LBCC’s board of trustees in a press statement. “Jenni Rivera inspired millions through her music, resilience, and advocacy. We are proud that future generations of artists will learn and create in a space that bears her name.”
Jenni Rivera Enterprises will donate $2 million over the next 10 years to the LBCC Foundation, with the bulk of the funds going toward scholarships and education programs, the Long Beach Post reported.
“Our family is deeply honored that Long Beach City College has chosen to memorialize Jenni in this extraordinary way,” said Jacqie Rivera, Rivera’s daughter and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises, in a press release. “Long Beach shaped who Jenni was — as an artist, a mother, and a woman — committed to her community. Knowing that young performers will grow, train, and find their creative voice in a center that carries her name is profoundly meaningful to us.”
The performing arts center, which is scheduled to open in spring 2026, is the second honor the “Inolvidable” singer has received from LBCC. Earlier this year, Rivera was inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame alongside actor/activist Jennifer Kumiyama and attorney Norm Rasmussen.
Rivera was born and raised in Long Beach, attending Long Beach Poly High School in the 1980s, where she got pregnant as a sophomore. She later graduated from Reid Continuation High School as class valedictorian. She went on to attend LBCC before transferring to Cal State Long Beach to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
She immediately put that degree to use as a real estate agent, while simultaneously working at her father’s recording studio and record label.
Her father, Pedro Rivera, was a noted singer of corridos. In the 1980s he launched the record label Cintas Acuario. It began as a swap-meet booth and grew into an influential and taste-making independent outfit, fueling the careers of artists such as Chálino Sanchez. Jenni Rivera’s four brothers were associated with the music industry; her brother Lupillo, in particular, is a huge star in his own right.
She released her first album, “Somos Rivera,” in 1992, launching a prolific career that was tragically cut short when Rivera and six others were killed in a plane crash in Mexico on Dec. 9, 2012.
The self-proclaimed “Diva de la Banda” was a self-made star with a veritable rags-to-riches story. She was a true trailblazer, a U.S.-born woman who took up plenty of space in the male-dominated world of música mexicana.
“One of my mom’s favorite exes used to work in this vicinity. We would come and check in on him and she always dreamt — I remember sitting in the car, in her Mercedes, and she always dreamt, ‘I’m gonna have my star here one day,’” Rivera’s daughter Jenicka Lopez said at the star unveiling ceremony.
“I thought it was impossible after she passed away, but God has a beautiful way of proving people wrong.”
ROB Reiner’s daughter has broken her silence over her dad’s death – revealing she saw him just one day before the film director and his wife Michele were murdered.
Tracy Reiner, 61, said the brutal double killing left her devastated – before paying her respects to the “the greatest family ever”.
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Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found stabbed to death at their home in Los AngelesCredit: AFPRob’s adopted daughter Tracy has broken her silenceCredit: Getty
Tracy, who was adopted by Rob during his marriage to Penny Marshall, said she was left speechless.
The actress said: “I came from the greatest family ever.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
She added that she had seen her late dad at a family gathering just one day before horror knife attack.
The iconic director was married to Marshall from 1971 to 1981, during which time he adopted Tracy.
Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were found dead by their other daughter Romy, 28, with their throats slit at their sprawling $13.5million Brentwood mansion on Sunday afternoon.
The Hollywood icon’s youngest son Nick has been charged with murder in connection with the grisly killing.
A source revealed to The U.S. Sun that Rob and Michele got into a heated public argument with Nick at a Hanukkah party on Saturday evening.
The party was hosted by Conan O’Brien, according to TMZ.
Nick, 32, was booked into a Los Angeles jail on Monday morning, according to online records viewed by The U.S. Sun.
He has since been charged with murder and is being held at Parker Center Jail on $4 million bail, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell announced during a press conference on Monday.
Nick, who reportedly lives in the Los Angeles area, is rarely seen in public since he opened up about his struggles with drug addiction in 2016.
He admitted to first going to rehab at the age of 25 and said his addiction issues even led him to being homeless at one point in his life, according to People.
“When I was out there, I could’ve died. It’s all luck. You roll the dice and you hope you make it,” Nick said.
In 2015, Nick and his father worked on the semi-autobiographical film, Hey Charlie, which centered around the entitled, drug-addicted son of a renowned actor turned political candidate in California.
Rob Reiner and his son Nick Reiner pictured together at AOL Studios In New York CityCredit: Getty(L-R) Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, daughter-in-law Maria Gilfillan and Jake Reiner, pictured together in Los AngelesCredit: Getty
Rob told the Los Angeles Times at the time that he had to push past trauma and tough memories during filming.
“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” the beloved director told the outlet then.
“And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”
Fellow Hollywood stars paid tribute to both Rob and Michele.
Ex-Monty Python member Eric Idle said he had spoken to Rob the night before his death.
Paying his respects, he said: “Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour. I always enjoyed his company.
“I met him at his Dad’s in 1975. He was telling me about filming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future … I shall miss him.
“A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.”
Ben Stiller said Rob was one of his favourite directors, and called him “a kind caring person who was really really funny”.
Josh Gad, who voiced Olaf in Frozen, described Rob and his wife’s deaths as a “devastating” loss.
Actor John Cusack, who starred in Rob’s 1985 film The Sure Thing, said he “saw the soul in others”.
Timeline of the double murder
ROB Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Timeline:
December 13, 2025: Reiner and his wife Michele attended a holiday party on the evening of December 13 with their son, Nick.
Sources conveyed to The U.S. Sun that the couple and their son were engaged in a heated public argument while at the event.
December 14, 2025: Reiner and Michele were found dead in their Brentwood home in Los Angeles at around 3:30 pm PST.
The couple’s daughter, Romy, reportedly discovered her parents bodies.
Online police records show Reiner and Michele’s 32-year-old son, Nick, was arrested at 9:15 pm PST on December 14.
December 15, 2025: Authorities in Los Angeles announce that Nick Reiner was arrested and charged with murder.
Nick was booked into a Los Angeles jail at 5:04 am and is being held on $4 million bail.
HOLLYWOOD HORROR
The gruesome homicides of Rob and his wife, Michele, 68, shocked the world of Hollywood after reports emerged that the couple were discovered with multiple lacerations.
The Misery director and his wife, who had been married for 36 years, had their throats slit by a family member following a heated argument, according to TMZ.
Romy, 28, told authorities that a family member “should be a suspect” because they’re “dangerous,” the outlet reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the deaths as an apparent homicide.
Alan Hamilton, the deputy police chief of the LAPD, told reporters on Sunday evening that authorities would interview several family members of the Reiners as the investigation continued.
Hamilton said the property showed no signs of forced entry.
Rob’s daughter Romy discovered her dad’s bodyCredit: GettyRob Reiner on the set of the 1984 mockumentary This is Spinal TapCredit: Alamy
FILM ICON
Rob, who was raised in the Bronx by famed actors Carl and Estelle, was a huge presence in the film industry after more than five decades as one of Hollywood’s top directors and actors.
His career as an actor began in the early 1960s, but it was not until the 1970s that Rob gained recognition after portraying Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the TV comedy All in the Family.
Throughout the 70s, Rob continued to make guest appearances on several TV series, including The Partridge Family.
However, it was in the director’s chair where Rob flourished into a star in the world of film.
He helmed a string of hit movies, including, When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and the Academy Award nominated film A Few Good Men, among others.
It was on the set of When Harry Met Sally that he met the photographer and his eventual wife, Michele Singer.
“I look over and I see this girl, and ‘Whoo!’ I was attracted immediately,” Rob told The New York Times in 1989.
The couple wed in 1989, the year the film was released.
After their marriage, Michele began helping her husband with producing films, including Shock and Awe and Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.
The legendary career of iconic director Rob Reiner
FAMED actor, director and producer Rob Reiner, 78, died on December 14 alongside his wife Michele Singer, 68, in an apparent homicide.
Here is a look at the prodigious list of achievements the Hollywood powerhouse earned before his tragic and sudden death.
Director’s Beginnings
Reiner was born in New York City on March 6, 1947, to legendary comedy writer Carl Reiner and singer Estelle Reiner
He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school before breaking into the entertainment industry
Hollywood Career
Reiner first found fame as an actor playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the iconic sitcom All in the Family from 1971 to 1979
In 1984, he directed his first film This Is Spinal Tap – a mockumentary following a fictional heavy metal band
Reiner went on to direct cult classic films like The Princess Bride in 1987 and When Harry Met Sally… in 1989
Other notable movies made by the director include Misery, The American President, and A Few Good Men, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture
The production company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, has also produced hits like Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption
Reiner didn’t halt his acting career either, recently starring in The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013 and The Bear in 2025
Personal Life
Reiner married actress Penny Marshall in 1971 and adopted her daughter, Tracy, from a previous marriage. The couple divorced in 1981
He met photographer Michele Singer while shooting When Harry Met Sally
They married in 1989 and had three children: Jake, born 1991, Nick born 1993, and Romy born 1997)
Nick opened up about his struggle with drug addiction in 2016. The movie Becoming Charlie, directed by Reiner, was based on Nick’s story
Reiner was an outspoken Democratic activist and a fierce critic of Donald Trump
Rob and Michele are survived by their children, Romy, Jake, Nick, and Tracy, the director’s daughter, whom he adopted from his previous wife, Penny Marshall.
Tributes have been paid to the actor and director and his wife following their deaths.
“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as The Princess Bride to A Few Good Men,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X.
“His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger.
“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”
Former US president Barack Obama spoke warmly about the couple.
Tracy and her biological mum Penny MarshallCredit: GettyTributes have poured in for the late starCredit: Splash
“Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he said.
“But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.
“Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired.”
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Rob as someone who was creative and funny.
She also hailed him as an actor who could make fans laugh and cry when they watched his films.
Pelosi described Rob’s wife as an “indispensible partner and intellectual resource.”
Michelle Kwan’s favorite early Christmas present this year? It’s a little girl, gift-wrapped in a hospital blanket and ready to meet Santa.
The Olympian and former ambassador to Belize just welcomed her second child, Della Rose Kwan, according to a Thursday post on social media.
“My heart doubled in an instant the moment I held her in my arms, and watching my daughter walk into the hospital to meet her baby sister brought tears to my eyes,” the Torrance native wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of her holding baby Della in the hospital, then talking about her first child, who was born in early 2021.
“I’ve always dreamt of having children, and when Kalista came into the world, I was already beyond grateful for a miracle that once felt impossible after years of trying.”
The 45-year-old is a five-time world champion, nine-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympic medalist, winning a silver and a bronze for figure skating in the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games, respectively. She was an ambassador from 2022 to 2025, during the Biden administration.
Kwan posted additional pictures showing herself and Kalista eating ice cream on the couch in matching Christmas pajamas when mom was still pregnant, an ornament on the Christmas tree holding a photo of the family of three and a short time-lapse video of herself in a black bodysuit showing her midsection growing until she finally holds baby Della in her arms.
Writing that “[g]etting here again has been its own rollercoaster,” she thanked all those who helped “this miracle” to happen. Included in her appreciation was “my love, who I’m so lucky to share my life with,” though she didn’t share that person’s identity.
Kwan was married to attorney and politician Clay Pell from 2013 to 2017.
“After more than a decade of hoping, I still can’t quite believe this moment is real,” she wrote.
“As an Olympian, I’ve pushed my body to its limits and been amazed by its strength — but carrying another life has left me in even greater awe. There were moments of frustration over how little I could control — a humbling reminder that fertility is something none of us can fully predict.”
Kwan then offered well wishes to anyone else dealing with infertility or praying to have children.
“I know what you’re going through,” she said, “and I’m hoping you feel loved and supported in every way as you navigate this journey.”
The tone of the missive is par for the course for Kwan, who explained her approach to life during her competitive years to The Times in early 2020.
“You hope that you made an impression and an imprint, a positive impact on people,” she said at the time, talking about her skating career. “I kind of expressed the journey that I was on, whether it was a good journey or an emotional journey or a sad one, I was never afraid to emote. I feel like the people who partook in that journey experienced a lot of emotional moments during those 20 years with me, and looking back, I was a part of their lives.”
Looks like she’s starting on yet another new journey now.
MICHELLE Keegan enjoyed a visit to a £1,260 a night swanky hotel with Mark Wright and their daughter amid the couple’s ‘most lavish Christmas yet’.
Michelle Keegan enjoys visit to £1,260 a night swanky hotel with Mark Wright and daughter amid ‘most lavish Christmas yet’Credit: InstagramMichelle posted a series of pictures from their weekend break to LondonCredit: InstagramMichelle looked incredible in black satin trousers and a matching topCredit: InstagramThe couple even had a lift selfie with Palma, who wore an adorable red knitted cardigan and white tightsCredit: Instagram
The Brassic actress shared a series of snaps from their stay at London‘s Corinthia Hotel in London on her Instagram on Monday.
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She captioned the pictures: “A little bit of Christmas magic this weekend” and the first saw her enjoying a glass of wine in the hotel’s bar.
Michelle, 38, wore a beige sleeveless, roll neck jumper and retro style glasses as she posed for the snap, while in others, she had switched into a pair of black satin trousers and a matching top.
The garment had a lace panel down the side, revealing a hint of her bra and trim waist.
The couple also posed for a lift selfie, with Mark, 38, holding their daughter Palma, who looked adorable in a red knitted cardigan – which read Palma Believes – and white tights.
An insider close to the couple told OK!: “Mark loves Christmas and he’s wanted a family for a long time, so for him it couldn’t get any better.
“He’s like an excited puppy dog and cherishing every minute of it. It means the world to him.
“When it comes to presents, he’ll be spoiling them both – Mark doesn’t know how to reign it in!”
The source added that Michelle – who gave birth in March – can’t wait to spend some quality time with her little family this Christmas.
They said: “She’s been really busy but family is her priority. It’s lovely to have some special time together, especially because at one point she and Mark were practically living separate lives because of work.
“Her family are coming down from Manchester but it’s very much a Wright Christmas – family comes first and it’s very important for them to be all together. It’ll be lovely seeing all the kids together.”
Palma’s cardigan had ‘Palma Believes’ on the backCredit: InstagramThe couple enjoyed an Italian mealCredit: InstagramThey have pulled out all the stops this ChristmasCredit: InstagramMichelle gave fans a good glimpse at how they’d spent their weekendCredit: InstagramThe couple are thrilled to be having their first Christmas with their daughterCredit: Instagram
PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James needed to send this message.
He still sits on his throne.
The Lakers superstar scored 10 consecutive points late in the fourth quarter to seal a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, finishing with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the Lakers (17-6) nab two wins out of a difficult three-game trip.
Philadelphia (13-10) crawled back from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter and tied the score with 1:28 remaining on a shot by Joel Embiid. James answered with a fadeaway three-pointer over Quentin Grimes with 1:11 left. He all but iced the game with a 20-foot fadeaway over Grimes with 27.3 seconds remaining.
Running back up the court, James held both hands low in a “too small” signal. He placed an invisible crown on his head. He soaked in the roars from the crowd and punctuated it with his signature silencer celebration.
“That was vintage Bron,” said Luka Doncic, who finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists after a two-game absence for the birth of his second child. “We’re happy he was there to save us.”
James played in his 1,015th win, passing Robert Parish for the second most in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with 1,074. The Lakers won for the first time in Philadelphia since Dec. 7, 2017.
Doncic rejoined the team Saturday after he flew from L.A. to his native Slovenia on Dec. 1. Between the 12-hour flight, a nine-hour time difference and being present for the birth of his daughter Olivia, the last week was a blur for Doncic.
Doncic still made his return look effortless, notching his second triple-double of the season.
But the 26-year-old acknowledged he was mentally and physically tired by the fourth quarter. Austin Reaves, who has averaged 40 points in games Doncic missed, misfired on his first eight shots and finished with just 11 points.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, left, during the first half Sunday.
(Chris Szagola / Associated Press)
Calling on James as their third scoring option showcases the Lakers’ embarrassment of riches.
“His play throughout the game gave us such a lift,” coach JJ Redick said, noting James’ screening and ability to create advantages. “… LeBron was like our connector tonight.”
Trailing by 10 with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter, the Lakers started the third on a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to one before building a 10-point lead with 1:40 left in the quarter. Then James’ heroics helped them hold on.
Deandre Ayton had 14 points on seven-for-seven shooting with 12 rebounds. Rui Hachimura scored 17 points as all five starters finished in double figures to hold off a fourth-quarter charge from the 76ers, who were led by 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds from star guard Tyrese Maxey.
“That’s the beautiful thing about our team,” Reaves said, “is it’s not even just us three.”
With Doncic and Reaves off to career-best starts, the Lakers are 11-5 without James, who missed the first 14 games because of sciatica. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer had never missed the beginning of a season — in his life, James stressed. Missing training camp, preseason games and practices affected James not only physically but also mentally. James had to remind himself to fall “in love with the process” to rediscover his rhythm.
His trust paid off Sunday as he scored 12 of the Lakers’ 25 fourth-quarter points.
“It’s important to be reminded every now and then of what you’re capable of,” Redick said. “For him to have the injuries, and then to sort of start the season playing catch-up in a way, and start the season playing catch-up with a team that is also in a really good rhythm, and that’s, as a player, I don’t care how good you are, that’s tough to figure out.”
Three weeks shy of his 41st birthday, James missed the previous game in Boston because of sciatica and joint arthritis in his left foot. While he made the winning assist in the Lakers’ thrilling victory in Toronto, he also lost his 1,297-game streak of scoring 10 or more points. It felt like he finally was starting to show signs of his age.
Then he unleashed a signature one-handed tomahawk dunk in transition during the first quarter against the 76ers. It was a not-so-gentle reminder that James won’t ride into the twilight of his career quietly.
“Just at 40 years old, I mean, it just takes awhile for my body to kind of get back into a rhythm,” James said. “And so it felt good tonight to kind of feel like myself a little bit, being able to run and jump and cut and catch my second wind a lot faster tonight. Hopefully that stays.”
Every made basket from James made the Philadelphia fans clamor for more. Even the road fans hope James stays longer too.
