The emotional one-off special last year saw Stephen Mulhern break down in tears.
22:34, 08 Jan 2026Updated 22:34, 08 Jan 2026
Accidental Tourist saw Stephen Mulhern break down in tears (Image: ITV)
ITV has commissioned three more Accidental Tourist specials which will see Stephen Mulhern joined by Ant and Dec in a bid to face more of his fears and phobias.
Speaking about his late dad, Christopher, Stephen broke down in tears, saying: “As a family, we know what we like and that’s what we do, and we always have. I am scared, I find my phobias so frustrating, but it’s time to make change, and the change is now.”
The episode saw Stephen attempt to overcome his food phobias and fear of the sea, and continued after mentioning his late father: “If I was to tell my dad this, my dad passed away at the start of the year…sorry.” Struggling to get his words out, he whispered: “He wouldn’t believe it. I hope… he’d be proud.”
ITV has now confirmed Stephen will embark on an unknown journey and leave behind his creature comforts.
The broadcaster teased: “Travelling to South Korea opened Stephen’s eyes to a brand new culture, but there is still a long way to go.
“The trip proved such a success that Stephen made some much needed changes to his life back in the UK, but he’s slipping back into his old ways.
“Not wanting to undo the impressive progress he’d already made during his trip to South Korea, Stephen has decided he needs to spread his wings further and who better to help once again than his close pals Ant and Dec.
“With their support, further encouragement from his family and a little help from social media, Stephen will again find himself thrust into the unknown as he attempts to navigate unfamiliar territories in the hope to quell some of his life limiting phobias.”
Stephen shared: “The response to my trip to South Korea has been so overwhelming and the amount of people that related to the worries and fears I have has blown me away.
“I was so proud of what I achieved that I planned to book a trip to Japan on my return, but what did I do instead? I booked an all inclusive trip to the Algarve!
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“I don’t want to undo the good work I achieved so I’ve asked Ant and Dec to help me again. I need that little loving shove in the right direction, otherwise I fear I’ll slip back into my old ways.
“I’m still scared but this time I’m a little excited too, I know I can do this…. Or at least give it a good go!”
Ant said: “We are so proud of Stephen, we never thought he would accomplish what he did in South Korea – if we’re honest, we weren’t even sure he’d get on the plane! We loved seeing how much of a positive impact the trip had on his life, but we’ve noticed his old ways creeping back in… so when he said he was up for another trip, we were only too happy to oblige.
Dec added: “Unbeknown to Stephen, we have a long list of places we’d love him to experience that will hopefully help him get over more of his fears and phobias, which we know he’s keen to try and conquer. We can’t wait to see what he will accomplish during his next adventures!”
Sue Murphy, Director of Factual Entertainment and Kate Teckman, Head of Development and Commissioning Editor also said, “We are delighted to be building on the success of the Accidental Tourist with Ant and Dec and Stephen with this exciting new series. The audience has clearly enjoyed seeing them together in a new light in such a personal project, as have we.”
A mental health diversion granted to a former Kern County politician is coming under fire from numerous California lawmakers and child welfare advocates, who say a repeatedly amended state law is allowing an accused child abuser to avoid prosecution and possible jail time.
Zack Scrivner, a former Kern County supervisor, was charged with felony child abuse in February after he was accused of inappropriately touching one of his children in 2024. But because of a Dec. 19 ruling by a judge, he will avoid a trial and instead be funneled into a mental health diversion program — an initiative aimed at helping defendants with mental health disorders get treatment instead of imprisonment for certain crimes.
While supporters say mental health diversions help certain defendants get needed mental health treatment, lawmakers in both parties have blasted the Scrivner decision and the legislative changes that led to it. Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) issued a scathing statement, describing the ruling as an “Epstein loophole,” a reference to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I specialize in family and addiction medicine, so I know the value of mental health diversion … It was designed to help people get treatment and rehabilitation in appropriate cases, not to provide an escape hatch to sexually assault children,” she said. “This Epstein loophole needs to be closed.”
At the end of their 2018 legislative session, California lawmakers approved a number of legal reforms, many aimed at keeping homeless people out of jail. One of these altered what defendants could qualify for mental health diversions. The change specifically excluded people accused of crimes such as murder, rape and child sex crime but did not exclude those accused of child abuse. Then, in 2022, another amendment to the law directed courts to allow a diversion if a diagnosed mental health disorder played a significant role in the alleged crime unless there is “clear and convincing” evidence it wasn’t a motivating factor.
Since then, controversies have arisen over several judicial decisions. In 2024, a judge granted a mental health diversion to a Pasadena doctor accused of trying to kill his family by driving the family Tesla off a cliff with his wife and two children inside. In Sacramento County, Sheriff Jim Cooper and other officials have criticized a mental health diversion granted to a father arrested in connection with the death of 1-year-old “Baby A,” who had suffered from severe injuries while in her father’s custody.
Emergency personnel respond to a vehicle over the side of Highway 1 on Jan. 1, 2023, in San Mateo County. A Pasadena doctor, Dharmesh Patel, was charged that year with three counts of attempted murder in crashing the car over a cliff, injuring his two young children and his wife. A judge granted him a mental health diversion in 2024, allowing him to live with his parents while receiving treatment.
(Sgt. Brian Moore / Associated Press)
“People are becoming very skeptical of mental health treatment because it’s being used in ways nobody ever intended,” said Matthew Greco, deputy district attorney of San Diego County and author of the California Criminal Mental Health Handbook. The 2022 law change limited the discretion of judges — one reason the California District Attorneys Assn. opposed it, he said. Greco has since heard from judges across the state that they feel their hands are tied. In San Diego County, the number of mental health diversions granted has steadily risen since 2019.
The 2018 law establishing the program had good intentions, he said, but lacked proper legislative vetting.
“We know the central premise behind mental health diversion is that if we obtain mental health treatment for those that are mentally ill that are committing crimes, the public will be safer,” he said. “But we need to have both public safety and treatment.”
In Kern County, Scrivner has numerous political connections in the Republican Party and beyond. He served for 13 years as a county supervisor before resigning in August 2024. He also served on the Bakersfield City Council and had spent four years working for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Kern County Dist. Atty. Cynthia Zimmer is also the aunt of Scrivner, and before recusing herself from the case, she played a key role in alerting law enforcement to his actions.
At a news conference in April 2024, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he received a call from Zimmer that Scrivner was armed and experiencing “some type of psychotic episode” at his Tehachapi home. Deputies responded and found that Scrivner had fought with his children, with one of them stabbing him in his torso amid allegations that he had sexually assaulted another of his children, Youngblood said. While Scrivner’s four minor children were at the house at the time, his wife, who had previously filed for divorce, was not.
According to Youngblood, detectives obtained a search warrant and ended up seizing 30 firearms, psychedelic mushrooms, electronic devices and possible evidence of sexual assault in the house.
Things got complicated at that point, given that Kern County’s district attorney was obligated to recuse herself and Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office took over the case.
In February 2025, Bonta’s office charged Scrivner with two felony counts of possessing assault weapons and three felony counts of child abuse. The charges, however, did not include sexual assault, even though the state’s complaint said Scrivner had “consumed mind and/or mood altering drugs and substances, got into bed” with a child and inappropriately touched the child.
On Dec. 19, a Kern County Superior Court judge approved a motion filed by Scrivner’s attorney, H.A. Sala, to allow the former county supervisor to enter a mental health diversion program. Sala, who has not returned multiple requests for comment, presented the court with a medical diagnosis conducted by doctors that Scrivner had been suffering from mental health disorders, including alcohol-use disorder, depression and anxiety, according to a report in the Bakersfield Californian. Sala argued that a treatment program would be the best option for Scrivner, in keeping with the intent of the Legislature.
ln her ruling, Superior Court Judge Stephanie R. Childers sided with Sala, noting the state had “offered no alternative” to the medical diagnosis of Scrivner that had been submitted to the court, according to the Bakersfield Californian.
In response, the state attorney general’s office released a statement saying that it opposed the judge’s decision and “we are reviewing our options.” It added that the office filed charges that it believes the state “can prove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.” So far, the Kern County Superior Court has declined to release Scrivner’s attorney’s motion, stating it is confidential.
During Scrivner’s Dec. 19 court appearance, according to the Californian, Deputy Atty. Gen. Joe Penney stated that Scrivner “got into bed with the minor victim — while he had alcohol, Ambien, benzos (benzodiazepines) and cocaine metabolites in his system — and fondled her breast area and genital area for a period about 10 minutes while she was frozen in fear.”
State Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) is one of the lawmakers calling for reform of the program in light of Scrivner’s case. She questioned when the state justice system would prioritize vulnerable victims over “the monsters who harm them.”
“A program intended to promote treatment must never be allowed to erode accountability for the most serious and violent crimes against children,” she said in a statement online.
Several lawmakers have introduced bills to modify the mental health diversion law. In 2024, Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) was unsuccessful in her attempt to exclude defendants from qualifying from the program if they had been charged with child abuse and endangerment, domestic violence that causes great bodily harm or human trafficking.
Krell, a former deputy attorney general, said cases that have stirred outrage seem to be appearing in just about every county, including in her district.
“We should ensure that people who are mentally ill are receiving treatment,” she said, but there has to be accountability when people break the law as well. Krell said she intends to try to submit the bill again. “We need to give courts discretion to make these determinations. We also need to make sure we’re keeping victims safe. There’s just too many examples where this has failed.”
Although some elected officials are seeking reforms to the program, Kern County organizer Flor Olvera said she thinks the focus should include whether Scrivner received preferential treatment.
“You can have a mental health diversion granted, but what is the justice system doing to hold people accountable?” she said. “When it’s people in these powerful positions, it does seem like the system moves differently for them.”
In a Dec. 20 statement, Bains said she sent a letter asking U.S. Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon and U.S. Atty. Eric Grant to investigate whether Scrivner violated federal civil rights statutes by leveraging his former status as an elected official.
“This is not justice, and this is not over,” she said.
In a Dec. 24 interview with radio host Ralph Bailey, Sheriff Youngblood said that deputies arrived at Scrivner’s home that day in 2024 and confirmed that the county supervisor was unarmed. Scrivner then got on the phone and asked the sheriff to send the deputies away.
“My response was, ‘no, they’re going to do what they have to do,’” he said. A deputy said there was more to investigate, and Youngblood supported it. Zimmer, the Kern County district attorney, did not ask for a favor, Youngblood said.
Yet questions remain as to why deputies did not arrest Scrivner immediately. Speaking to local media, Youngblood said he had no one who could arraign the supervisor within a limited time frame, but Kern County prosecutors dispute that. Late Wednesday, the sheriff’s office directed inquiries to the state attorney general’s office, after declining to respond to questions over the last week.
Joseph A. Kinzel, the county’s assistant district attorney, said in an email that because Scrivner was not arrested that night, there was no request from law enforcement that charges be filed. Kinzel said that the office immediately determined it would be inappropriate to get involved with the case, and that the office “did everything it should have to ensure that a conflict-free prosecution would occur.”
In the radio interview, Youngblood said that he believed the state attorney general’s office “didn’t do their job correctly” by letting Scrivner avoid a sex crime charge.
“I can only speak for the sheriff’s office, and I can tell you that the deputies that investigated that did absolutely the right thing,” he said. “I believe that the children were all on board and would have done exactly what the court asked them to do, and that is, tell the truth. So from my standpoint, this stinks.”
Garo Ohannessian is known as a “lifer” at AGBU, an Armenian K-12 school in Canoga Park. He’s been there from the start and now he’s making a name for himself in high school basketball with his three-point shooting skills.
He set a school record making 13 threes and finishing with a career-high 45 points in a Dec. 30 win over Brawley.
The finale of Netflix’s blockbuster series “Stranger Things” gave movie theaters a much needed jolt, generating an estimated $20 to $25 million at the box office, according to multiple reports.
Matt and Ross Duffer’s supernatural thriller debuted simultaneously on the streaming platform and some 600 cinemas on New Year’s Eve and held encore showings all through New Year’s Day.
Owing to the cast’s contractual terms for residuals, theaters could not charge for tickets. Instead, fans reserved seats for performances directly from theaters, paying for mandatory food and beverage vouchers. AMC and Cinemark Theatres charged $20 for the concession vouchers while Regal Cinemas charged $11 — in homage to the show’s lead character, Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown.
AMC Theatres, the world’s largest theater chain, played the finale at 231 of its theaters across the U.S. — which accounted for one-third of all theaters that held screenings over the holiday.
The chain said that more than 753,000 viewers attended a performance at one of its cinemas over two days, bringing in more than $15 million.
Expectations for the theater showing was high.
“Our year ends on a high: Netflix’s Strangers Things series finale to show in many AMC theatres this week. Two days only New Year’s Eve and Jan 1.,” tweeted AMC’s CEO Adam Aron on Dec. 30. “Theatres are packed. Many sellouts but seats still available. How many Stranger Things tickets do you think AMC will sell?”
It was a rare win for the lagging domestic box office.
In 2025, revenue in the U.S. and Canada was expected to reach $8.87 billion, which was marginally better than 2024 and only 20% more than pre-pandemic levels, according to movie data firm Comscore.
With few exceptions, moviegoers have stayed home. As of Dec. 25., only an estimated 760 million tickets were sold, according to media and entertainment data firm EntTelligence, compared with 2024, during which total ticket sales exceeded 800 million.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 USC 96-66 on Friday night.
Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.
Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.
Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Ezra Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on three-of-11 shooting.
Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.
The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least a month with a grade 2 strain in his left calf, the team announced Friday, one day after he left the game against the Houston Rockets at halftime.
Reaves, averaging career highs in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2), had already missed three games with what the team called a “mild” calf strain. He returned off the bench while playing on a minutes restriction against Phoenix on Dec. 23 and reprised his starting role on Christmas Day in a loss to the Rockets. But after scoring 12 points in 15 minutes in the first half, he was ruled out for the second half with “left calf soreness.”
Calf injuries have been major concerns across the NBA since three stars — Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum — suffered Achilles tears during last year’s playoffs. Haliburton and Lillard have previously dealt with calf injuries.
Lakers star guard Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury on Christmas Day last year while with the Dallas Mavericks and missed two months, during which he was traded to the Lakers.
“I know how it is to go to a calf injury. It’s not fun at all,” Doncic said Thursday after the game. “[I’ll] just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous so take your time.”
The Lakers (19-10) are losing their second-leading scorer at a critical time of the season. They have lost three consecutive games, their only losing streak of the season, and their defense in the last 15 games has been among the worst in the league.
After the third consecutive blowout loss, coach JJ Redick questioned how much his players cared. He promised an “uncomfortable” film session and team meeting at practice on Saturday before the Lakers face Sacramento at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.
After a difficult stretch of the schedule that included eight out of 10 games against teams with winning records, the Lakers have four of their next five against teams in the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Outside of a home game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the Lakers play the Sacramento Kings, the Memphis Grizzlies (on Jan. 2 and 4) and at New Orleans on Jan. 6.
Reaves’ absence could extend until the beginning of the Lakers’ Grammy road trip that begins on Jan. 20 against Denver.
My Christmas shopping is done. My annual rewatch of “The Family Stone” is queued up. And our last issue of 2025 is out in the world. Which means it’s time to sign off and start food prep. (I’m doing beef Wellington this year.)
But before I do, I wanted to share stories from this week’s edition of The Envelope, and my thanks to all of you out there for reading. Have a very happy holiday!
The Envelope Directors Roundtable
(Jason Armond / For The Times)
As Rian Johnson said while taping this year’s Envelope Directors Roundtable, filmmakers don’t get many chances to hang out and talk shop — so when they do, it’s always an engaging and illuminating conversation.
Led by moderator Mark Olsen, participants Johnson (“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”), Jon M. Chu (“Wicked: For Good”), Nia DaCosta (“Hedda”), Guillermo del Toro (“Frankenstein”), Mona Fastvold (“The Testament of Ann Lee”) and Benny Safdie (“The Smashing Machine”) shared their unvarnished views on theatrical moviegoing, budgets and artificial intelligence. It’s absolutely worth your time.
And by the by: I’m not sure what The Times’ standard is on the, uh, pungent phrase Del Toro used to describe A.I. during the conversation, so I’ll just say that you can and should see it in all its glory on our Instagram.
‘Roofman’ Is a Christmas Movie
(The Tyler Twins / For The Times)
If you’re looking for a new Christmas movie to watch before Santa squeezes down the chimney tonight, “Roofman” is just the ticket. Like “The Holdovers” last year, Derek Cianfrance’s charming fable about a fugitive (Channing Tatum) who falls for a single mom (Kirsten Dunst) while hiding out in a Toys R Us channels Old Hollywood in a way that can seem sadly out of fashion.
“As we were selling this movie, trying to get it financed, I was pitching it to everyone as a Capra movie and what I kept hearing is, ‘We don’t make those movies anymore,’” as Cianfrance told Kristen Lopez.
Perhaps they should reconsider. Unfairly written off after its $8 million opening weekend in October, “Roofman” went on to gross $34 million worldwide from a slim $19 million budget. Not exactly “Home Alone,” to be sure, but a respectable showing nonetheless — and that’s before its streaming afterlife. And those of us who dearly miss the mid-budget studio movie will take any data we can to show they can still thrive at the right price.
Imax’s banner year
(Robert Alexander / Getty Images)
Speaking of box office, one big bright spot in 2025 was the performance of Imax and other premium formats, which are attracting cinephiles to see movies theatrically, often multiple times, and at a higher price point than the standard movie ticket.
With an estimated $1.2 billion take this year, and a raft of highly anticipated films like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” slated for 2026, Imax has forged an alliance between our most committed moviegoers and some of our most exciting filmmakers that bodes well for the future of cinemas, writes Daron James.
“Imax superfan Shane Short, who saw ‘Oppenheimer’ 132 times and once sat next to [cinematographer Autumn Durald] Arkapaw during a screening of ‘Sinners,’ says it’s a good thing. ‘What really pulls me into movies is the emotional aspect when connecting with something. For me, it’s hard to get that in a normal theater. Imax is truly the ultimate immersive experience that draws me in.’”
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.
“With the amount of rain being forecast, it’s important to make this call as early as possible to give everyone advance notice,” Santa Anita general manager Nate Newby said in a statement. “Everyone looks forward to opening day as it’s traditionally one of our biggest days of the year, so it’s not a decision we make lightly. But after speaking with our stakeholders, adjusting the racing schedule at this time provides the best opportunity to have a great opening to kick off the season.”
There is no state rule against running in the mud or on a softer turf course, but protocols put in place after the 2018-19 winter-spring meeting, when 30 horses died during racing or training at Santa Anita, often result in the track postponing or canceling race days.
Opening day usually draws the largest crowd of the year at Santa Anita. Last year’s announced on-track attendance was 41,562, the highest total on a non-weekend or holiday on opening day since 1990. Total mutuel handle was more than $21.4 million, the third-highest ever on the first day.
The 11 races scheduled for Friday now will be run two days later, with first post at 11 a.m. There are six stakes races set for opening day, three on turf, with Santa Anita officials hoping that waiting until Sunday will allow the grass course to dry enough to allow racing.
Tickets purchased for opening day will be honored Dec. 28, with full refunds available on request. The revised schedule for the opening two weeks will feature racing Dec. 28 and 29, then every day from Wednesday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 4.
BOYS CITY SECTION AHSA 53, Neuwirth Leadership 35 Alliance Levine 43, Alliance Bloomfield 32 Bernstein 74, Arleta 46 Bravo 62, LA Marshall 61 Downtown 80, Animo Bunche 21 LA Hamilton 64, LA University 55 LA Wilson 77, Franklin 61 Manual Arts 48, Diego Rivera 47 Panorama 76, Reseda 23 San Fernando 69, Canoga Park 57 Sylmar 74, Van Nuys 58 Torres 68, Umiversity Prep Value 53 West Adams 66, Santee 53 Westchester 52, Venice 47 WISH Academy 74, Gertz-Ressler 25 USC-MAE 39, Annenberg 34
SOUTHERN SECTION AAE 68, NSLA 30 Animo Leadership 76, Compton Early College 36 Banning 73, Twentynine Palms 66 Bishop Diego 82, Orcutt Academy 37 Burbank 67, Muir 47 Burbank Burroughs 61, Hoover 56 Calvary Baptist 70, Crossroads Christian 25 Carter 56, Kaiser 54 Cerritos Valley Christian 70, Paramount 64 Chaminade 75, Santa Monica 57 Citrus Hill 67, Paloma Valley 55 Desert Christian Academy 38, San Jacinto Leadership 34 El Dorado 92, Placentia Valencia 84 Elsinore 82, West Valley 35 Esperanza 59, Yorba Linda 47 Flintridge Prep 83, Rio Hondo Prep 60 Fullerton 52, Sunny Hills 45 Gahr 74, Cerritos 46 Gardena Serra 77, Firebaugh 65 Garden Grove 47, Oxford Academy 44 Garden Grove Pacifica 49, Western 28 Indian Springs 62, Beaumont 42 Jurupa Hills 88, Grand Terrace 40 Legacy Christian Academy 77, Norco 38 Long Beach Cabrillo 72, Compton 63 Los Altos 80, Hacienda Heights Wilson 61 Mayfair 74, Long Beach Jordan 72 Millikan 73, Long Beach Wilson 62 Palmdale Aerospace Academy 84, Lancaster Baptist 35 Palm Springs 71, La Quinta 22 Quartz Hill 77, Palmdale 62 Redlands East Valley 89, Indio 36 Rubidoux 61, Nogales 31 Santa Barbara 59, San Marcos 50 Segerstrom 60, Westminster La Quinta 53 Shadow Hills 47, Xavier Prep 19 Silverado 54, Hesperia 47 South Hills 61, Keppel 48 St. Monica Academy 66, Mesrobian 42 Tahquitz 67, San Jacinto 41 Temecula Prep 68, San Jacinto Valley Academy 31 Thousand Oaks 54, Oxnard 34 United Christian Academy 46, Anza Hamilton 42 Upland 58, Western Christian 33 Vasquez 79, Santa Clarita Christian 37 Webb 59, Bassett 32
INTERSECTIONAL Austin (TX) Prep Academy 70, SoCal Academy 69 Beverly Hills 55, Rancho Dominguez 42 Brentwood 60, Punahou (HI) 58 Clovis East 53, King/Drew 42 Crenshaw 52, Capistrano Valley 51 Harvard-Westlake 84, Lexington Catholic (KY) 37 Heritage Christian 71, ANTHS (AZ) 21 Palos Verdes 63, San Pedro 61
GIRLS CITY SECTION Animo Bunche 31, Downtown Magnets 5 Diego Rivera 40, Manual Arts 22 Eagle Rock 49, Lincoln 27 Fulton 21, East Valley 14 Gertz-Ressler 46, WISH Academy 17 LA Wilson 39, Franklin 26 Northridge Academy 65, Vaughn 16 Palisades 69, LACES 45 Panorama 42, Reseda 36 San Pedro 79, Legacy 6 Santee 46, West Adams 32 Smidt Tech 33, Animo De La Hoya 10 Torres 38, University Prep Value 19 USC-MAE 48, Annenberg 31 Westchester 59, Venice 48
SOUTHERN SECTION AAE 56, NSLA 14 Apple Valley 61, Granite Hills 19 Bolsa Grande 31, Garden Grove 29 Burbank Providence 39, Le Lycée 15 California Military Institute 50, Nuview Bridge 25 Chaffey 36, Tustin 31 Coachella Valley 61, Desert Mirage 6 Compton 59, Long Beach Cabrillo 11 Crescenta Valley 64, Glendale 39 Flintridge Prep 54, Keppel 36 Godinez 47, Corona del Mar 45 Hacienda Heights Wilson 61, Los Altos 56 Holy Martyrs Armenian 61, Milken 44 Indian Springs 55, Bloomington 15 Laguna Blanca 24, Santa Clara 17 La Habra 51, Irvine 43 Long Beach Jordan 67, Irvine University 14 Long Beach Wilson 38, Millikan 19 Norwalk 49, Western 25 Oxnard Pacifica 47, Foothill Tech 45 Pioneer 49, Maranatha 42 Redlands 38, Indio 19 Riverside King 50, Warren 35 Riverside Notre Dame 28, Colton 19 Sage Hill 57, Marlborough 35 Santa Margarita 62, Xavier College Prep 53 Savanna 44, La Palma Kennedy 39 Segerstrom 51, Cerritos Valley Christian 45 Shadow Hills 57, Xavier Prep 39 South El Monte 57, Pomona Catholic 4 Southlands Christian 50, Legacy College Prep 11 South Torrance 43, Queen Creek (AZ) Casteel 40 Twentynine Palms 24, Banning 10 West Covina 71, Edgewood 21 Woodbridge 42, Westminster La Quinta 26
INTERSECTIONAL Bartlett (TN) 59, Mater Dei 56 Clovis 66, Moreno Valley 45 Lakewood St. Joseph 66, Gilbert (AZ) Highland 30 Long Island Lutheran (NY) 61, Fairmont Prep Rolling Hills Prep 62, Denver (CO) Mullen 28 St. Anthony 62, Chandler Hamilton (AZ) 49 Villa Park 72, Scottsdale (AZ) Notre Dame Prep 56 Waddell (AZ) Canyon View 42, Lynwood 31
BOYS CITY SECTION AMIT 59, Sun Valley Magnet 38 Bernstein 71, Contreras 26 Crenshaw 55, King/Drew 39 Fulton 50, Vaughn 48 Hollywood 104, Belmont 10 LA Hamilton 71, Downtown Magnets 69 MSAR 67, Valor Academy 56 MSCP 84, Larchmont Charter 25 Northridge Academy 59, VAAS 12 Orthopaedic 69, Animo Bunche 34 RFK Community 73, Jefferson 70 Royal 54, Mendez 52 View Park 55, Bell 48 Wilmington Banning 62, Elizabeth 26
SOUTHERN SECTION Arroyo 54, South El Monte 50 Chadwick 91, Paramount 63 Damien 66, Aquinas 41 Downey 57, Workman 22 Edgewood 52, West Covina 43 Flintridge Prep 80, ISLA 15 Gabrielino 91, Mountain View 46 Garden Grove 58, Irvine University 56 Hemet 56, Valley View 55 Highland 68, Lancaster 34 Hillcrest 57, Orange Vista 56 Indian Springs 64, Citrus Valley 55 Laguna Beach 70, Costa Mesa 46 Lakeside 54, Canyon Springs 50 La Palma 69, Westminster 18 Maricopa 47, Laton 17 Moreno Valley 52, Arlington 42 North Torrance 75, Bellflower 30 Pasadena Marshal 75, El Monte 51 Peninsula 65, Redondo Union 63 Perris 63, Riverside North 62 Pilgrim 71, Westmark 39 Public Safety Academy 51, River Springs Charter 44 Quartz Hill 76, Antelope Valley 44 Redondo Union 76, Peninsula 18 Riverside King 61, Chaparral 55 Riverside Poly 54, Liberty 43 Samueli Academy 49, Bolsa Grande 48 San Fernando Academy 71, Summit View 19 Segerstrom 66, Loara 38 Sierra Vista 62, Covina 58 Temple City 51, El Rancho 46 Thousand Oaks 65, Shalhevet 38 Torrance 76, El Segundo 37 Vista del Lago 57, Heritage 51
INTERSECTIONAL Dorsey 60, Lawndale 55 Grace 68, Panorama 34 LA Roosevelt 42, Alhambra 39 San Gabriel 50, Maywood CES 23 Westchester 48, Compton Centennial 36
GIRLS CITY SECTION AMIT 25, Sun Valley Magnet 20 Bernstein 56, Contreras 13 Cleveland 64, North Hollywood 24 Hollywood 63, Belmont 13 King/Drew 60, Crenshaw 12 Larchmont Charter 36, MSCP 33 MSAR 42, Valor Academy 29 Orthopaedic 28, Animo Bunche 5 Rancho Dominguez 31, Elizabeth 20 South East 51, Lakeview Charter 23 Washington 65, Fremont 10
SOUTHERN SECTION Agoura 65, Simi Valley 38 Buena Park 78, Westminster 29 Citrus Valley 43, Indio 24 Covina 56, Garey 25 CSDR 71, Victor Valley 33 El Modena 37, Edison 29 Flintridge Prep 85, Westridge 9 Gabrielino 81, Mountain View 4 Hemet 51, Valley View 24 Jurupa Valley 29, Indian Springs 20 Knight 81, Littlerock 8 Lancaster 60, Highland 40 Laton 29, Maricopa 8 Liberty 59, Citrus Hill 28 Los Altos 59, Anaheim 42 Los Amigos 39, Saddleback 19 Mira Costa 54, West Torrance 50 Newbury Park 53, Oxnard Pacifica 34 Oxnard 50, Santa Paula 42 Quartz Hill 57, Antelope Valley 18 Rancho Verde 46, Perris 19 Ramona 56, Gahr 29 Rancho Christian 100, Heritage 41 Riverside North 47, Vista del Lago 34 Riverside King 63, Xaxier Prep 38 Riverside Poly 73, Paloma Valley 38 River Springs Charter 35, Public Safety Academy 15 San Gabriel 46, Edgewood 26 San Gabriel Academy 63, Compton Centennial 62 Savanna 52, Costa Mesa 38 South El Monte 24, Arroyo 21 Thousand Oaks 69, Shalhevet 39 Torrance 74, El Segundo 36 Upland 44, Rosemead 27 Woodbridge 48, Century 6 Yorba Linda 64, Placentia Valencia 44
The film tells the truth. The Lakers are not a good defensive team, evidenced by the sight of the NBA’s top guards blowing past Lakers defenders into the paint during a 10-game defensive swoon that ranks among the league’s worst.
Yet when coach JJ Redick shows his team the tape and then backs it up with the numbers, there’s still cautious optimism that the Lakers can improve.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room that thinks we’re a good defensive team right now,” Redick said, “but I also don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room who thinks we can’t be a good defensive team. We’ve got to get better.”
In the 10 games since LeBron James returned to the lineup, the Lakers have scored 121.8 points per 100 possessions, a significant increase in their offensive rating of 115.4 during the first 14 games of the season. While their offensive rating ranks fifth in the league during the last 10 games, their 120.9 defensive rating ranks 27th. It’s a dramatic increase from their previous 113.7-point defensive rating.
The most glaring issues are the team’s defense in transition and early in the opponent’s offense, Redick said. The Lakers give up 1.19 points per possession in transition, fifth-worst in the league.
Sunday’s game in Phoenix against the Suns, who scored 28 fast-break points against the Lakers on Dec. 1, will be a significant test as the Lakers (17-7) try to avoid their first losing streak this season.
Led by Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves — who is out for at least a week because of a left calf strain, the team announced Friday — and the 40-year-old James, the Lakers are not destined to be a fast team on either side of the court. They were outmatched against San Antonio’s dynamic backcourt led by the speedy De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, who combined for 50 points Wednesday as the Spurs scored 27 fast-break points and knocked the Lakers out of NBA Cup contention.
Losses like that exposed the Lakers’ lack of speed on the perimeter, but the team also has shown flashes of excellence against the best guards. The Lakers held 76ers star Tyrese Maxey to five points on two-for-six shooting in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ four-point win at Philadelphia on Dec. 7.
“It’s less of scheme stuff. A little more of urgency,” guard Gabe Vincent said. “A little more of doing all the little things. If you don’t do them, like I said, there are some great players in this league that will expose you.”
One of the team’s top defensive options is on the bench. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt has played only three minutes in the last 10 games. He entered the game against Philadelphia only after Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.
Vanderbilt, an athletic forward, has been a consistent force on defense during his career but struggles to contribute on offense. While he impressed coaches with how hard he worked in the offseason to improve his shooting and ballhandling, Vanderbilt made only four of 14 three-point shots in the first 14 games. He averaged 5.6 rebounds per game before James returned to the lineup Nov. 18, pushing Vanderbilt to the bench.
Before the Lakers’ last game against the Suns, Redick said part of it was a numbers game with James’ return and felt the team would settle on a nine-man rotation. Vanderbilt had tasks he “needed to be able to do consistently to play” even before James returned, Redick said.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, scoring against Lakers guard Luka Doncic, and teammates continually drove past their defenders during an NBA Cup game Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But making changes at that time was difficult, the coach acknowledged. The Lakers were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. But they’re 2-3 in the last five games, which have laid their defensive struggles bare, and coaches are “looking at everything.”
“If this continues,” Redick said Friday, “he’ll definitely get his opportunities.”
After practice Friday, Vanderbilt stayed on the court shooting extra three-pointers with staff members.
Meanwhile, Reaves will be reevaluated in approximately one week, the Lakers said after practice.
The guard averaging 27.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds has led the Lakers in total minutes played as the team weathered stretches without James and Doncic. Reaves responded with a career-best start. He is ninth in the NBA in scoring and could be on track to earn his first All-Star nod as he enters a critical contract decision this offseason.
Reaves will miss at least Sunday’s game at Phoenix, Thursday’s game at Utah and a Dec. 20 game at the Clippers. After another game at Phoenix on Dec. 23, the Lakers begin a stretch of five consecutive home games, starting with a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Etc.
The Lakers assigned guard Bronny James to the G League on Friday.
BOYS CITY SECTION Downtown Magnets 103, Aspire Ollin 12 Sotomayor 67, Maywood CES 28 Stern 35, Rise Kohyang 33 Triumph Charter 68, LA Wilson 51 University Prep Value 66, Animo Venice 52 WISH Academy 79, Alliance Ted Tajima 16
SOUTHERN SECTION AGBU 63, Newbury Park 51 Arcadia 82, Glendale 34 Baldwin Park 57, Pomona 23 Banning 90, Bethel Christian 26 Big Bear 89, University Prep 45 Calvary Baptist 58, Diamond Bar 57 Chino Hills 78, CSDR 31 Citrus Hill 76, San Gorgonio 30 Corona 58, Granite Hills 17 Crescenta Valley 73, Burbank Burroughs 43 Desert Chapel 69, Weaver 34 Desert Christian Academy 56, Nuview Bridge 19 Eastvale Roosevelt 53, Hesperia 52 Eisenhower 67, Bloomington 52 El Rancho 55, Sierra Vista 52 Elsinore 72, Tahquitz 36 Estancia 68, Lynwood 30 Entrepreneur 72, Crossroads Christian 41 Harvard-Westlake 86, Punahou 42 Hesperia Christian 59, AAE 39 La Palma Kennedy 41, Norwalk 34 Loara 67, Katella 41 Long Beach Cabrillo 74, Lakewood 55 Long Beach Wilson 75, Compton 64 NSLA 52, Cornerstone Christian 33 Oxford Academy 66, CAMS 42 Public Safety 54, Grove School 41 Rancho Alamitos 58, Century 28 Redlands 52, Sultana 51 Rio Hondo Prep 68, United Christian Academy 24 Riverside Notre Dame 55, Kaiser 50 San Bernardino 94, Norco 80 Shadow Hills 60, Yucaipa 52 Summit Leadership Academy 71, PAL Academy 9 Temecula Prep 77, San Jacinto Leadership Academy 43 Temescal Canyon 68, West Valley 52 Tesoro 57, Aliso Niguel 53 Valley Christian Academy 57, San Luis Obispo Classical 27 Viewpoint 74, Firebaugh 39 Villa Park 60, Brea Olinda 49 Webb 64, Santa Ana Valley 36 Western 61, El Modena 34 Westminster La Quinta 53, Santa Ana 39 YULA 61, San Diego Jewish Academy 26
INTERSECTIONAL Brawley 66, Indio 46 Cathedral 60, Bravo 49 Los Alamitos 73, Torrey Pines 53 Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 53, Huntington Park 30 St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 65, LA Marshall 59 USC Hybrid 63, Legacy College Prep 13
GIRLS CITY SECTION Aspire Ollin 57, Downtown Magnets 12 Lakeview Charter 70, Valor Academy 10 Stern 34, Rise Kohyang 6 Washington 34, Crenshaw 33
SOUTHERN SECTION Bolsa Grande 21, Capistrano Valley 26 Buena 62, Santa Barbara 20 California Military Institute 29, Santa Rosa Academy 12 Carter 65, Sultana 39 Cate 43, Laguna Blanca 29 Coastal Christian 45, Santa Maria 32 Colton 41, Arroyo Valley 26 Crescenta Valley 55, Burbank Burroughs 47 CSDR 45, Norte Vista 21 Desert Christian Academy 89, Nuview Bridge 23 El Dorado 63, Placentia Valencia 20 El Rancho 40, Diamond Ranch 33 Elsinore 34, Tahquitz 20 Foothill Tech 37, Thacher 22 Garden Grove 46, Orange 32 Grove School 30, Public Safety 14 Harvard-Westlake 48, Campbell Hall 37 Hesperia Christian 51, AAE 21 Hillcrest 53, La Sierra 8 Kaiser 52, Pomona 0 Laguna Beach 52, Dana Hills 33 Long Beach Wilson 70, Compton 32 Lucerne Valley 44, Lakeview Leadership Academy 7 Marlborough 65, Alemany 43 Mayfair 34, Chadwick 32 Monrovia 36, Mayfield 20 North Torrance 59, Palos Verdes 57 Oak Hills 58, Beaumont 32 OCCA 31, Liberty Christian 16 Oxford Academy 50, Western 34 Oxnard 46, San Marcos 30 Redlands 61, Jurupa Hills 39 Rialto 86, Apple Valley 27 Ridgecrest Burroughs 68, Barstow 38 Santa Ana Valley 64, Glenn 6 Shadow Hills 55, Palm Springs 14 Silver Valley 45, Riverside Prep 22 Temecula Prep 45, San Jacinto Leadership Academy 43 Temescal Canyon 85, West Valley 17 University Prep 47, Big Bear 31 Viewpoint 60, Agoura 45 Vistamar 33, Wildwood 14 YULA 51, Milken 50
INTERSECTIONAL Birmingham 55, Heritage Christian 44 Desert Mirage 46, Borrego Springs 19 SEED: LA 44, Animo Leadership 7 Sun Valley Poly 65, Westridge 9 USC Hybrid 45, Legacy College Prep 4 Whittier 52, Garfield 46
