It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.
The Lakers should use James’ $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.
James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.
Marc D. Greenwood Opelika, Ala.
Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?
Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach
After reading Bill Plaschke’s article about LeBron James — which closes with the line “Anywhere but here” — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.
Tom Irish Rancho Palos Verdes
Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.
If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!
There was a moment when the Lakers were humming along near the end of the NBA’s regular season, when they went 16-2 in the month of March as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James found their groove together as a dynamic threesome.
But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.
James did, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Reaves joined James in Game 5 of that series and the two of them led the charge into the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder, a series in which Los Angeles got swept, 4-0.
Through it all, Doncic was and still is the center of the Lakers’ universe.
So with James and Reaves looking at free agency, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday at the team’s exit interviews that the organization wants both players back to team up with Doncic.
James, 41 and in his 23rd season, made $52.6 million last season but will be a free agent this offseason, when he can retire, return to the Lakers or play for another team.
“I think in terms of LeBron, we probably haven’t seen a player that has honored the game to the extent that he’s honored the game. He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization,” Pelinka said. “And the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back. And I think the first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are.
“Does he want to play another year in the NBA? And that’ll be, as he said to you guys last night, family time [and] I think time with his inner circle. And we just want to honor that for him. Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster. That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”
Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract that will pay him $14.8 million next season and become a free agent. The Lakers can pay Reaves the most, a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season. Reaves could sign with another team that has cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to all of that, but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”
The Lakers have their star in Doncic and will collaborate with him going forward.
He led the NBA in scoring (33.5 points per game), was third in assists (8.3) and was a most valuable player candidate.
Doncic, who missed the last five regular-season games and all of the playoffs, signed a three-year extension last summer for $165 million.
The Lakers want to build on that.
“He’s an incredible partner,” Pelinka said of Doncic. “His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see as fans. [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick]) and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with.
“His knowledge-base is vast and so those collaborations with him are really inspirational. He also does it in a way that he wants to do his job great, and he wants to let JJ do his job great and let me do my job great. So, they really are productive conversations through that lens.”
That day had to be Monday night, the only day that mattered for a Lakers team on the brink of elimination.
The Lakers came close, but they did not win the day, losing Game 4 115-110 to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers’ season is over, having been swept 4-0 in the Western Conference semifinal series.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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When the game was over, James hugged several of the Thunder players.
James is in the final year of a contract that paid him $52 million this season, and at 41 and in his 23rd season, the conversations now turn to his future.
Will James retire? Will James return to the Lakers? Will James play for another team?
You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.
It’s time for the Lakers to turn out the lights on the greatest player in NBA history and begin forging a new future without his stultifying aura and suffocating presence.
If this is no longer LeBron James’ team, then it can no longer be his franchise.
If the Lakers really want to build around Luka Doncic, they can’t do it at a job site still dominated by the NBA’s most venerable cornerstone.
When James becomes a free agent this summer after his $52.6-million deal expires, the Lakers should not offer him a similar contract, a greatly reduced contract, or any kind of contract.
If he wants to retire, show him the love. If he wants to keep playing, show him the door.
Dodgers’ offensive funk continues in loss to Giants
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts reacts after striking out in the third inning of a 9-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
From Maddie Lee: The Dodgers were building momentum one no-out single at a time, an offensive cascade threatening to break through — until it didn’t.
Until a bases-loaded opportunity resulted in just a pair of runs. And the Dodgers’ struggling offense fell quiet again.
Their 9-3 loss to the Giants on Monday was more of the same for an offense that hasn’t scored more than three runs in a game this homestand, four games in.
“We’re not taking this lightly right now,” said Max Muncy, who went two for four with a home run. “But we also understand it is 162 [games] and you know, we’ve gone through stretches like this in the past, and we’ve also gone through good stretches. So we’re having a lot of conversations, but it’s also trying not to overreact to something still early in May.”
Shortstop Mookie Betts returned from injury, but he didn’t magically fix the Dodgers’ problems.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena is constructing a new field-level club seating area in the south end of the stadium that will include more than 1,000 VIP seats.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
From Sam Farmer: For years, the Rose Bowl has walked the precarious line between tradition and technology, striving to keep up with modern-day venues while maintaining the nostalgic touches that make it a national landmark.
Get ready for one of the most dramatic changes in its 103-year history.
The stadium is undergoing a major overhaul of its south end — the one facing the San Gabriel mountains — that will transform 5,000 underutilized bench seats into a field-level club featuring slightly more than 1,000 VIP seats. The transformation is expected to be finished in time for UCLA football‘s home opener against San Diego State on Sept. 12.
René Cárdenas waves to the crowd as he is inducted into the Houston Astros Hall of Fame on Aug. 17, 2024.
(Kevin M. Cox / Associated Press)
From Ed Guzman:René Cárdenas, the first radio announcer to broadcast major league baseball games in Spanish to a domestic audience while with the Dodgers and who helped start Spanish-language broadcasts for two other teams, died Sunday in Houston. He was 96.
The Dodgers announced his death Sunday night, noting his 21 years — over two stints — with the team starting in 1958. The broadcasting pioneer also served as the Houston Astros’ first Spanish-language announcer starting in 1962.
Cárdenas called games for 38 seasons with the Dodgers, Astros and Texas Rangers and paved the way for Jaime Jarrín, who joined the broadcast team in 1959 and served as the Dodgers’ broadcaster for 64 seasons.
Cantillo (3-1) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four.
Brayan Rocchio put the Guardians ahead 2-0 when he greeted reliever Jose Fermin with a single in the second inning after opener Brent Suter was lifted.
The undefeated and untested son of Nyquist was made the co-second choice on the morning line when post positions were drawn Monday afternoon at Laurel Park, the temporary home of the Preakness while Pimlico — about 30 miles north — is being rebuilt. Laurel Park, located halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., has never hosted the Preakness, which will start just after 4 p.m. PDT on NBC.
Njoku, 29, played nine seasons in Cleveland after being drafted by the team in 2017. His best season came in 2023 when he posted career highs for catches (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six) en route to a Pro Bowl selection. He ranks second in Browns history for most receptions (384) and touchdown catches (34) by a tight end.
Second round All times Pacific Game 1: at Oklahoma City 108, Lakers 90 (box score) Game 2: at Oklahoma City 125, Lakers 107 (box score) Game 3: Oklahoma City 131, at Lakers 108 (box score) Game 4: Oklahoma City 115, at Lakers 105 (box score)
Ducks playoffs schedule
Second round All times Pacific Game 1: at Vegas 3, Ducks 1 (summary) Game 2: Ducks 3, at Vegas 1 (summary) Game 3: Vegas 6, at Ducks 2 (summary) Game 4: at Ducks 4, Vegas 3 (summary) Game 5: Tuesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN Game 6: Thursday at Ducks, 6:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO MAX Game 7*: at Vegas, TBA, ABC or ESPN *-if necessary
This day in sports history
1909 — The Preakness Stakes is held in Maryland after 16 runnings in New York. As part of the celebration marking the return of the Preakness, the colors of the race’s winner were painted onto the ornamental weather vane at Pimlico Racecourse for the first time.
1917 — Omar Khayyam, ridden by Charles Borel, becomes the first foreign-bred (England) colt to win the Kentucky Derby with a 2-length victory over Ticket.
1924 — Walter Hagen wins the PGA championship with a 2-up victory over Jim Barnes.
1970 — Ernie Banks hits his 500th career home run off Pat Jarvis in the Chicago Cubs’ 4-3 victory over Atlanta at Wrigley Field.
1973 — 6th ABA championship: Indiana Pacers beat Ky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1974 — The Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 102-87 to win the NBA championship in seven games.
1976 — 20th European Cup: Bayern Munich beats Saint-Etienne 1-0 at Glasgow.
1979 — Chris Evert’s 125-match winning streak on clay comes to an end.
1980 — West Ham United wins the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley Stadium; midfield playmaker Trevor Brooking scores winner with a rare header.
1982 — FC Barcelona of Spain win 22nd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Standard Liège of Belgium 2-1 in Barcelona.
1993 — Parma of Italy win 33rd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Royal Antwerp of Belgium 3-1 in London.
1995 — Martin Brodeur ties NHL record getting his 3rd playoff shutout in 4.
1996 — LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, DuPont CC: England’s Laura Davies wins by 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Julie Piers.
1996 — A three-way dead heat is run at Yakima (Wash.) Meadows, the 20th such finish in thoroughbred racing history there. In the day’s third race, a trio of $8,000 claimers — Fly Like A Angel, Allihaveonztheradio and Terri After Five — hit the wire together after a one-mile race.
2001 — English FA Cup Final, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (72,500): Liverpool beats Arsenal, 2-1 with Michael Owen scoring twice for the Reds.
2006 — Laure Manaudou of France breaks Janet Evans’ 18-year-old world record in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing in 4:03.03 at the French national swimming championships. Manaudou beats the time of 4:03.85 set by Evans in winning the 400-meter freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
2006 — Justin Gatlin breaks the 100-meter world record with a time of 9.76 seconds at the Qatar Grand Prix. A week later, the International Association of Athletics Federations announces a timing error gave Gatlin a time of 9.76 seconds. His time of 9.766 seconds, should have been manually rounded up to 9.77, tying Asafa Powell’s world mark of 9.77.
2010 — Montreal follows up a monumental upset by pulling off another. The Canadiens, who eliminated the Washington Capitals, beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Montreal accomplishes what no team had done since the current playoffs format was adopted in 1994. And that is beat the Presidents’ Trophy winner and defending Stanley Cup champion in successive rounds as an eighth-seeded team.
2010 — Kelly Kulick, the first woman to win a PBA Tour title when she beat the men in January in the Tournament of Champions, wins the U.S. Women’s Open for her second women’s major victory in 15 days. Kulick beats Liz Johnson of 233-203 in the final.
2013 — Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the Madrid Open to retain her No. 1 ranking and collect her 50th career title.
2013 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Tiger Woods wins his second PC, 2 strokes ahead of David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman.
2014 — LeBron James ties his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh makes the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
2019 — Manchester City beats Brighton, 4-1 to claim back-to-back English Premier League titles with 98 points, 1 ahead of runners-up, Liverpool.
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. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
As LeBron James sat at the podium following the Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night, he was asked about his future.
He had just completed his 23rd season in the NBA at 41 years old and he will become a free agent this summer.
James has been asked about retirement all season — and if he would return to the Lakers next season or play for another team.
So after finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds in the 115-110 loss, James addressed the situation again.
“With my future, I don’t know, honestly,” James said. “It’s still fresh from obviously losing. And I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously. As it stands right now, tonight, I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back, like I think I said last year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them, and spend some time with them. And then when the time comes, then obviously you guys will know what I’ve decided to do.”
James said he’ll talk to his wife, Savannah, his daughter, Zhuri, and his son, Bryce.
James was asked what his decision process will be like.
“I don’t know,” he said. “If I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena five-and-a-half hours before a game to start preparing for a game, giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play. Showing up to practices, 11 o’clock practice, I’m there at eight o’clock preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in.
“So I think for me, I’ve always been in love with the process and not the aftermath of, OK, we won that game, or we won a championship. I’ve always enjoyed the process and not the outcome. So, I think that would be a big factor.”
LeBron James, center, celebrates with his Lakers teammates after defeating the Miami Heat for the NBA title on Oct. 11, 2020.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
James has been with the Lakers for eight seasons. He helped the team win an NBA championship in 2020 in the COVID-19 bubble in Orlando, Fla.
James was asked what has stood out during his time with the Lakers.
“Obviously winning a championship in 2020 would stand at the top,” James said. “That was the reason why I came here, to restore that level of play and restore this franchise back to what it was known for, winning championships and playing at a high level. … So that would be at the top.”
James was asked if those were the last handshakes of his career.
“Last handshakes? No, I don’t know. ‘Cause I don’t, I have no idea,” James said. “None of us even know what the future holds. None of us.”
The Lakers know that they could have eight unrestricted free agents in their immediate future.
After James, the next biggest potential free agent is Austin Reaves. He is expected to opt out of his deal that will pay him $14.8 million and become a free agent, according to people familiar with the situation not authorized to comment. The Lakers can pay Reaves a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season.
The Lakers value Reaves and are expected to meet his demands. Reaves could sign with another team that has salary-cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“I take life day by day and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game,” Reaves said. “I make good money. But like I said, don’t think about what I’m really going to do in the future. Just day by day.”
Center Deandre Ayton had an inconsistent season, averaging 12.5 points on 67.1% shooting and 8.0 rebounds. He can opt out of his deal that pays him $8.1 million next season and become a free agent. But Ayton hasn’t yet made a decision, according to people familiar with the situation not authorized to comment.
Lakers star Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Thunder on Monday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Marcus Smart, a locker room leader and their best defensive player, also has a player option for next season at $5.3 million. He hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’ll test the free-agent market. According to several NBA executives, a few teams probably will show interest in him.
The deadline to exercise or decline an option is June 29.
Rui Hachimura’s ($18.2 million), Luke Kennard ($11 million), Maxi Kleber ($11 million) and Jaxson Hayes ($3.4 million) are also in the final year of their deals.
Doncic, who missed the playoffs and the last five games of the regular season with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, signed a three-year, $165-million extension last summer, keeping him under contract through the 2027-28 season.
Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht (4.2 million), Bronny James ($2.2 million) and rookie Adou Thiero ($2.1 million) are under contract for next season.
History eluded. Embarrassment avoided. Belief restored.
The most secure legacy played with the most desperation. The most creaky veteran played with the most aggression. The winningest superstar played like he had everything to lose.
Wow. Gasp. LeBron!
So it went at Houston’s Toyota Center on Friday night when the Lakers, just two losses from becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a three-games-to-none lead, blew away the Rockets 98-78 to win their first-round series four games to two.
It was a night that prevented possibly the greatest meltdown in NBA history. It was a night that celebrated possibly the greatest player in NBA history.
“Started with LeBron,” Marcus Smart said. “The OG came out.”
When the shorthanded Lakers needed him most, their ageless 41-year wonder indeed showed up huge, James fighting down the lane, throwing in from deep, finding teammates like the sizzling Rui Hachimura and the surging Austin Reaves, leading with his entire massive being.
James wasn’t going to be on the wrong side of history. He wasn’t going to further stain his sterling 42-13 close-out record. He wasn’t going to let his final season end so early.
Wait a minute, this is not his final season? Not a chance. Bury any lingering doubt. After watching him dominate the youngest starting five in these playoffs Friday, it is impossible to imagine he’s going to call it quits.
He scored a game-high 28 points while enduring a team-high 37 minutes. He had eight assists, seven rebounds and only three turnovers. He even played defense, as the Lakers were a game-best plus-26 when he was on the court.
His night ended with him appropriately surrounded in the locker room by teammates who were bleating like goats. Because he’s the, well, you know.
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots over Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of Game 6.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
“It speaks to his greatness,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, and, yeah, somebody must be great if they can induce grown men to imitate farm animals. “To me he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player … for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s … baffling in some ways.”
From the frying pan to the fire, the Lakers now travel to Oklahoma City to face the defending champion Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Tuesday.
This could get real ugly, real quick.
The Lakers won’t have injured leading scorer Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future. They will be playing a Thunder team that drubbed them in the regular season, including a 43-point stomping just last month.
The Lakers don’t stand a chance. They’ll be lucky to avoid a sweep. They should quit while they’re ahead.
Which is exactly what everyone said about them before this Rockets series, before they took advantage of a Kevin Durant injury and Reaves’ return from injury, before they revealed a sense of focus and connection completely unexpected from this disjointed group.
Before James decided he wouldn’t let them lose.
“We had some obstacles obviously and I know they were without guys as well, but I thought we answered the call,” James said. “I thought we answered the challenge, and for them to allow me to lead them, that means a lot to me.”
Truly, lost in all the criticism over the last two Lakers losses was the truth that they never should have been in this position in the first place.
Consider this near miss one of James’ greatest postseason achievements. Consider his first playoff series win a huge endorsement for Redick as coach. Consider any positivity that comes from the Oklahoma City series as pure gravy.
Lakers forward LeBron James scores on an uncontested layup after blowing past the Rockets defense during the first half of Game 6.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said. “And it speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team that they didn’t let go of the rope.”
James led the Lakers to a five-point lead in the first quarter, then absolutely dominated with a 14-point second quarter in which he outscored the entire Rockets team and gave the Lakers an 18-point halftime lead that never was challenged.
See if you can follow along …
James hits a fallaway. Jake LaRavia races down for a layup. Smart draws a charge. James hits a three. James hits a spinning layup. LaRavia connects on a fastbreak jam. James sinks another layup.
For those breathlessly keeping score, the Lakers began that second quarter with a 9-0 run that, dating to the first quarter, was an incredible 21-2 smackdown. At one point the Rockets missed a dozen straight shots. At another point they were 0 for 15 in the quarter.
The Rockets momentarily stopped the bleeding with six consecutive points late in the half, but on James’ last-minute trey, the Lakers finished the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 49-31 halftime lead.
”He just has this ability to set the tone for the entire group,” Redick said. “He did that again tonight and the guys responded.”
James scored on a jump shot just seconds into the third quarter and the rout continued. Houston, which made only six baskets in the quarter, mounted a bit of a surge late in it, but Smart ended any momentum by drawing his third charge of the night.
“I love charges,” Smart said. “They’re demoralizing.”
Redick angrily called a timeout with 6:28 remaining in the game after a defensive lapse with the Lakers leading by 19. James fittingly scored on a layup immediately after the timeout, and the game was formally finished.
The Lakers’ defense was astounding, holding the Rockets to 13 points below their season low. The Lakers’ rebounding was astonishing, nearly doubling the offensive rebounds of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding team.
The Lakers offensive collective also was cool, Hachimura hitting five of seven treys, Reaves scoring 15 points with three blocked shots, and Deandre Ayton finishing a fine series with 16 rebounds.
But this was about the OG, who noted that he is finally comfortable celebrating small victories and said, “I think we should be proud of the way we handled this.”
The individual performances in the Lakers’ ugly, but decisive, 98-78 series-clinching win over the Houston Rockets on Friday were almost too numerous for coach JJ Redick to focus on each one.
That collective spirit is also what makes him so confident heading into the Lakers’ first Western Conference semifinal appearance since 2023.
“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said after the Lakers polished off their first-round playoff series in six games. “And it just speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team. They didn’t let go of the rope.”
After winning a series in which they were underdogs for every game they won, the Lakers return to the scene of their lowest moment to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Tuesday.
The last time they were in Oklahoma City, the Lakers lost by 43 points. Their two best players sustained regular-season ending injuries, with news of Luka Doncic’s hamstring injury and Austin Reaves’ oblique strain coming on consecutive days after the loss. Still dazed from the emotional hangover, the Lakers lost their next two games.
“There was a lot of question marks,” Reaves said. “And just the way that we responded as a group, I think it just tells you a lot about the people that we have in our room. There’s no quit.”
The Lakers finished the regular season with three consecutive wins. They leapt out to a 3-0 series lead against Houston before letting doubt creep in again. After the Lakers squandered two chances to end the series, including a disappointing home loss Wednesday when Reaves returned from injury, critics wondered if the Lakers would really be the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 playoff lead.
James wouldn’t allow it.
The superstar forward dominated with 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting, seven rebounds and eight assists. He outscored the Rockets by himself in the second quarter 14-13 as the Lakers went on a 27-3 run to open a 19-point lead.
“We understand that he’s the guy that brings energy, but also we have to help him,” forward Rui Hachimura said, “especially you know, he’s old now.”
Hachimura didn’t try to suppress a smile.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura blocks a shot by Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of Game 6.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
The Japanese forward did his part with 21 points, including five three-pointers. Smart leapt for a jaw-dropping block against 6-foot-8 Tari Eason and drew three charges. Ayton had 16 rebounds, helping the Lakers outrebound the best rebounding team of a generation 54-45.
Ayton, often maligned for his inconsistent effort, has been a force in the postseason, averaging 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds while often guarding Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun one-on-one.
“He’s been saying it all year: ‘Wait till I get to the playoffs,’” Smart said of Ayton. “It’s a different side of him that fans haven’t seen, that we expect, that we know he can give. He knows it and he’s ready.”
In his second game back from injury, Reaves had 15 points on seven-of-14 shooting with three blocks. He missed all four of his three-point attempts, still searching for his shooting rhythm after a long layoff. But the way Reaves attacked his treatment and returned before the typical four- to six-week timeline was his own form of leadership, Redick said.
Reaves sometimes left his house at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t return until more than 12 hours later. He drove all over L.A. looking for different treatment options. He did everything short of following Doncic to Europe, Reaves joked.
Doncic’s status is still unknown for the beginning of the conference semifinals. He has yet to progress to live play on the court, although he recently started incorporating movement into his on-court drills instead of just stationary shooting. He is still out indefinitely.
Without the star point guard, the Lakers could confidently turn to James to steer them through choppy waters. He averaged 22.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the first-round series. At one point during Friday’s game, Reaves approached him to just tell him his performance was “insane.”
“I don’t think you can say in words how special he was,” Reaves said, “not just tonight but this series, this year.”
In the locker room after the game when the Lakers prepared to break their last huddle, the lights suddenly clicked off. Players started bleating, serenading James with sounds deserving of the G.O.A.T. — greatest of all time.
LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets to set up a Western Conference semi-final play-off against reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
James also added seven rebounds and eight assists to help the Lakers to a 98-78 victory, which secured a 4-2 series win against the Rockets.
The Lakers had led the series 3-0 and finally closed out the best-of-seven contest in convincing style away at Houston, whose top scorer was Amen Thompson with 18 points.
“A lot of our guys, quite frankly, have not been in this position, have not been in a close-out situation, especially on the road, so it was important for me to go out and set the tone,” said 41-year-old James.
Lakers coach JJ Redick was full of admiration for the performance of James, who is the first player to take part in 23 consecutive NBA seasons and is also the league’s record points scorer.
“To me, he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player,” said Redick. “You can argue all you want; I don’t care to postulate on who’s the greatest of all time.
“He’s one of, if not the greatest of all time, and for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s baffling in some ways.”
The Lakers face a tough task against the Thunder, who finished top of the Western Conference and secured a 4-0 series win against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the NBA play-offs.
The first game of their best-of-seven series is in Oklahoma on Tuesday.
The Lakers needed it, of course. The Lakers wanted it.
The Lakers are paying for it.
Because LeBron James hasn’t looked superhuman since playing those 45 minutes, including all five gutsy minutes of ovetime.
He hasn’t looked great.
Not even particularly good, not by his lofty standards.
And the Lakers need their not-quite-ageless wonder to be at least great to beat these Houston Rockets one more time. They need James’ best can-you-believe-he’s-41? act if they hope to close out this challenging best-of-seven first-round series without Luka Doncic.
The Lakers went up 3-0 largely thanks to James’ contributions.
After weeks of willingly playing third-wheel behind Doncic and Austin Reaves, James made it look like playing the alpha was like riding a bike in Game 1’s 107-98 victory: He got right on it and gave the Lakers 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds.
Then James had 28 points in the 101-94 victory in Game 2. And there was his monster effort in Game 3, when he had 29 points and 13 assists and, in overtime, a key steal and block in the Lakers’ 112-108 victory.
But James has been much more mortal in the two games since, and the Lakers have lost both.
With a chance to finish off the Rockets in Game 4 on Sunday at the Toyota Center, James had almost as many turnovers as points: eight and 10, respectively.
With a second chance to finish off the Rockets in Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, despite a second day of rest, James had a jagged performance that looked like a lot of work in the Lakers’ 99-93 loss.
He had a game-high 25 points on nine-of-20 shooting, but he missed all six of his three-point attempts. He smoked layups. And missed three of his 10 free-throws, short on those attempts like he was on many of his misses Wednesday.
And while he had only two turnovers, they were the type to turn a tide, the type we’re not accustomed to witnessing from James. That type the Lakers can’t afford for him to make.
If he were a quarterback, he could have been called for intentional grounding, he overthrew Rui Hachimura by so much in the second quarter, when the Lakers were trying — and failing — to hang onto their early lead.
And then James got rhe ball ripped away from him by Reed Sheppard, the Rockets’ 21-year-old, allegedly 6-foot-2 guard, who raced up the court for a fast break dunk with 2:22 to play. That made it 92-85 and effectively doused the Lakers’ comeback.
“Just bang-bang plays,” James said at his locker, with a shrug. “Try to flush this one … we got to be better on Friday.”
The Lakers will have just two more shots at winning a series they weren’t supposed to before it started.
Their third attempt at closing out the Rockets comes quickly, when they play Game 6 on Friday at Houston. The Lakers will need something resembling the best version of James if they’re going to win and avoid the spectacle of a Game 7 showdown Sunday.
That would bring the Lakers to the brink of becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead. It would be an unavoidable blotch at the bottom of James’ 23-season resume that otherwise is highlighted by a 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.
But James and the Lakers aren’t thinking about that now — or about whatever chatter is coming out of the Rockets’ now-confident camp (on Tuesday, Jabari Smith Jr. told reporters “We’re obviously the better team.”)
“Ask one of them young guys that question,” James said, unmoved. “I’m too old for that.”
But not too old — the Lakers hope — to carry them to one more victory and save them from infamy.
Welcome to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where the brooms are going back in the closet.
The Lakers squandered their first playoff sweep since 2010, but are still one win away from their first playoff series win of the JJ Redick era.
Three weeks ago, even this moral victory of a 3-1 lead seemed out of reach. Now actually grabbing a spot in the conference semifinals could take more than one super-human performance.
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Thuc Nhi Nguyen’s weekly newsletter.
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Help needed
The forceful drives turned into desperation jumpers. The dominant dunks became limp layups that dribbled off the rim.
LeBron James carried the Lakers to a historically insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series against the Houston Rockets. But with a chance to clinch the series Sunday, he showed just how much the Lakers need someone else to help carry the team across the finish line.
James had his worst shooting game of the season, settling for 10 points on two-of-nine shooting. The nine field-goal attempts he took were tied for the fewest he’s taken in a playoff game. He didn’t extend his streak of consecutive playoff games with double-digit scoring to 144 until the fourth quarter.
Just after accepting a third-option role behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James was thrust back into the top spot when the star guards were injured April 2. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer had no problem putting on his Superman cape again. He started taking — and making — more shots than he had in months. His usage rate spiked.
But with the ball back in his hands more, James had eight turnovers in each of the last two games. The turnovers, 24 total by the Lakers on Sunday, were their “kryptonite,” James said.
The Lakers’ lack of guard play is becoming a glaring weakness.
“That’s the biggest challenge we have is just the ballhandling and downhill drivers, not having those guys,” Redick said.
Doncic and Reaves are progressing in their returns. Just three weeks after his oblique injury, Reaves was questionable for Games 3 and 4. He even warmed up before the games. But his timeline for return is still indefinite.
Considering the Lakers’ 3-0 start to the series, it might be safe to think the team would just wait until the conference semifinals for Reaves’ return. Redick said it’s fair to consider all factors when deciding when to bring Reaves back. But after a long conversation with the guard Saturday, Redick said the most important variable is the player’s confidence.
“That’s always the final hurdle coming back from an injury,” Redick said, “is the psychological component of it.”
Doncic, hampered by a balky hamstring, is ramping up, but is still not as close as Reaves.
The hope of getting their two most important players back was “a carrot” for the Lakers to keep extending their season, Redick said. A two-day break between games could be just as significant of a lifeline.
The one day of rest between Games 3 and 4 was the shortest of the series so far. The Lakers, led by 41-year-old James and 32-year-old Marcus Smart, looked especially desperate for the extra downtime.
Smart was wearing inflatable compression boots on both legs in the locker room before the game. Lakers were dropping passes like they were loose coffee plans with someone who lives across town.
Meanwhile the 23-year-old Alperen Sengun was doing spin moves in transition, finishing through contact and flexing toward the crowd in the third quarter with the Rockets up by more than 20.
Smart insisted the mistakes were mental. They looked like physical fatigue manifesting as mental blunders.
“It’s something we gotta clean up,” said Smart, who had four turnovers Sunday. “We know it, we understand it.”
The Lakers have time to fix it. The two-day break between Games 4 and 5 will be the last such break of this series if the Lakers let this stretch on.
Games in mirror are closer than they appear
This series is 30 inexplicable seconds away from being 2-2.
NBA teams that have a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series are 159-0. Since 1984 – when the NBA expanded its playoffs to 16 teams – teams with home-court advantage in the current series format are 125-42. Had that comeback never materialized, the Lakers would still have the upper hand in this series but they surely wouldn’t be invincible.
In a tighter-than-it-appears series, the Lakers have their 3-1 lead thanks to a run of hot shooting.
They were already the NBA’s most efficient shooting team, but the early part of the playoff success came from a sudden uptick in three-point shooting. The Lakers’ 40.8% three-point shooting through the first four games was 5.1 percentage points better than their regular-season mark. On the other hand, the Rockets are shooting 5.1 percentage points worse than their regular-season rate.
The Lakers identified turnovers and limiting offensive rebounds as the two most important items against the Rockets. They’ve struggled on both. The Lakers averaged 20 turnovers per game in the first four games and gave up 16.8 offensive rebounds. The Rockets’ 39% offensive rebounding rate is almost identical to their league-leading 38.8% from the regular season.
The Lakers have turned the ball over on 20.9% of their possessions, the highest turnover rate in the playoffs.
The Rockets have scored 21.5 points per game off the Lakers’ turnovers, the second-most of any team in the playoffs. Only Oklahoma City — the team that’s waiting for the winner of this series — has scored more points off turnovers in the playoffs.
On tap
Wednesday vs. Rockets, 7 p.m.
The Lakers can clinch the series at home and earn extra rest days before facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals. The Thunder finished a sweep of the No. 8 seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round Monday.
Friday at Rockets, 6:30 p.m. (if necessary)
If this game is necessary, it will be especially difficult to win for the Lakers. Both teams will have to travel from L.A. to Houston and we just watched what happens when the shorthanded Lakers play on one day of rest in the playoffs.
Sunday vs. Rockets, TBD (Game 7, if necessary)
The Rockets are trying to become the fifth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series. The 2023 Celtics were the last team to even a series after a three-game deficit. Smart’s Celtics lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the Miami Heat.
Status report
Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain)
Approaching the four-week mark, Doncic is ramping up his on-court work. On Sunday, he progressed to more movement instead of standstill shooting. He is still out indefinitely.
Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain)
Reaves’ return has been faster than many expected. He was questionable for Games 3 and 4, a quick three-week turnaround from his initial injury on April 2.
Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain)
After missing Game 1 with a knee bruise, Durant sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 2 and missed the next two games. Rockets coach Ime Udoka said Sunday pain and limited range of motion because of a bone bruise in Durant’s ankle are keeping him sidelined, but there’s a chance he returns this series.
Favorite thing I ate this week
Seafood boil with the Combo No. 4 (crawfish, snowcrab, shrimp, corn and potato) at Crawfish Cafe in Houston.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
This was a culinary bucket list item for me: Viet cajun food in Houston.
At Crawfish Cafe, you choose your seafood combination for a delicious, and slightly messy, seafood boil. I went for a combination of crawfish, shrimp and snow crab tossed in a mix of Viet cajun and Thai basil sauces. But there are more than a half-dozen sauce choices, so with that many options left to explore, maybe I wouldn’t be mad if this series returns to Houston.
HOUSTON — LeBron James tapped the ball away from Houston’s Reed Sheppard. Marcus Smart fired a two-handed pass to James, who bobbled it and slapped it to Luke Kennard. Kennard faked a shot. He whipped a pass back to James.
Down three with 14 seconds left in regulation of Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Friday, James lined up a three. Two Houston players ran into each other while desperately trying to defend the shot.
With the ball hanging in the air and the game on the line, was there ever a doubt on the Lakers’ bench?
“Absolutely not,” guard Bronny James said. “It’s the Lakers.”
Already one of the league’s best clutch-time teams, the Lakers stirred up magic again Friday, overcoming a six-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter to earn a 112-108 overtime win over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and will go for their first playoff series sweep since the second round in 2010 on Sunday in Houston.
The Lakers already won two nervy road games over the Rockets during the regular season. But the hero from those wins was dressed in a crisp white T-shirt and gray pants Friday. Luka Doncic, nursing a left hamstring injury, even took off his white jacket during the dramatic overtime. He had no reason to worry with James at the helm.
The 41-year-old played 45 minutes and four seconds, hit the game-tying three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in regulation and had a team-high 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Smart had 21 points, 10 assists and, for the second straight game, five steals, including one with 27.8 seconds left in regulation that set up three critical free throws.
The veterans have played in 406 combined playoff games and, hoping to add another win, showed the mentality shaped through each one.
Lakers forwards Jarred Vanderbilt, left, and LeBron James celebrate after their overtime against the Houston Rockets in Game 3 on Friday night.
(Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
“We’re just trying to have that killer mentality right now,” said Smart, who had eight of the Lakers’ 11 overtime points. “We got them on the ropes and then it’s our job to try to finish.”
The Rockets were desperate to avoid the dreaded 0-3 hole. They stormed back from a 15-point first-half deficit and took a one-point lead with 4:59 remaining on a three-pointer from Sheppard. The Houston crowd, which did not fill up until well into the first quarter, erupted.
James turned the ball over for the fourth time in the fourth quarter when Alperen Sengun tipped a bounce pass away from Kennard. Sengun appeared to punctuate the season-saving win with a one-handed dunk over James with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
In the moment, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura admitted later, the Lakers felt a slight dip in their energy. They needed something to turn the tide.
Smart intercepted a lazy pass by Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr., and Jae’Sean Tate fouled the Lakers guard on a three-point attempt with 25.4 seconds left. He made all three free throws. The crowd grew restless. When James hit the game-tying three, those wearing the Rockets’ red T-shirts stood in stunned silence.
A vocal minority of Lakers fans were buzzing.
“Next play. Next play,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the Lakers’ mindset during the critical stages of the game. “I mean, look, there’s a lot of things that happened tonight that were not perfect. … But you just kind of get onto the next play. And that, to me, is a hallmark of poise; that’s a hallmark of composure.”
While the Lakers had the league’s best record in clutch time games during the regular season (22-8), the Rockets ranked 16th. With a 22-23 record in games within five points in the final five minutes, the Rockets had the fifth-most clutch-time losses. Only Indiana, Memphis, Brooklyn, Dallas and New Orleans had more such losses.
Houston coach Ime Udoka called the foul on Smart “terrible.” Instead of passing to a wide-open Sengun, Sheppard tried to split a double-team on the decisive turnover. Sengun’s attempt at a game-winner when he got stood up by Jaxon Hayes on a turnaround baseline floater wasn’t the play the Rockets drew up, Udoka said.
“Horrendous mistakes,” the third-year Rockets coach said. “I don’t want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case.”
The Rockets, who lost in seven games in the first round of the playoffs last year, were without star Kevin Durant for the second time this series. He missed the game with a sprained left ankle, an injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of Game 2. He was sidelined for Game 1 because of a knee contusion he picked up in practice. The 37-year-old was remarkably durable this season, ranking second in the NBA in minutes played. His presence was a lifeline for a team that lost point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn anterior cruciate ligament last September.
Durant was ruled out about 90 minutes before tip off. When told of the injury update during his pregame news conference, Redick was not fazed. The Lakers know who they have on their side.
Despite missing leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the LA Lakers and LeBron James defeat Houston in opener.
Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026
Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalised on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Lakers, who pulled off an impressive win without their top two scorers.
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Both teams played the opener without their most important player. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with injuries since April 2, while Durant was a late scratch with a bruised right knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6 percent of its shots while holding the Rockets to 37.6 percent shooting with pesky defence.
Alperen Sengun scored 19 points, and Jabari Smith Jr had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who finished one game behind Los Angeles in the regular season. Amen Thompson added 17 points, but Houston’s young core got off to an inconsistent start after becoming the firm favourite in this series due to the Lakers’ injury woes.
Game 2 is on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Guard Luke Kennard #10 led the Lakers with 27 points in Game 1 against Houston [Kirby Lee/Imagn Images via Reuters]
Kennard rallies Lakers in second half
The Lakers acquired Kennard from Atlanta in early February, and the NBA’s most accurate 3-point shooter became a key reserve before he seized a major role over the past two weeks in the absence of Los Angeles’s starting backcourt. He hit four 3-pointers in Game 1, while making nine of his first 12 shots.
Durant must wait at least one more game to make his Rockets playoff debut after banging knees with a teammate in practice on Wednesday. Reed Sheppard took his spot in the starting lineup and hit five 3-pointers while scoring 17 points, but the Rockets struggled for consistent half-court offence in Durant’s absence despite grabbing 21 offensive rebounds.
The Lakers took the lead for good on their first bucket of the second half, and they pushed their advantage to 16 points in the fourth quarter. Kennard scored 16 points after halftime, while the 41-year-old James began his 19th NBA postseason with an inspired, eight-assist first quarter, followed by several gritty baskets down the stretch.
Los Angeles also got a boost from veteran guard Marcus Smart, who had 15 points and eight assists with four 3-pointers in his Lakers playoff debut. Smart said before the series that success would come down to “willpower”, and the Lakers clearly had more for starters.
Bronny James began the second quarter playing alongside his famous father in the first significant playoff minutes of the 21-year-old’s career.
Unmoved by postseason pressure, superstar LeBron James said he doesn’t plan to change his preparation ahead of the Lakers’ playoff opener against the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Approaching his record-tying 19th postseason appearance, James has reason to believe in his well-established routine.
“Nothing changes for me from the regular season to the postseason,” James said, “besides just making even more heightened focus.”
The consistent approach that guided him through 23 regular seasons puts James in position to star in another high-stakes game as the Lakers (53-29) chase the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. James will command almost the entire spotlight with guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves still sidelined.
The 41-year-old, 22-time All-Star has never had a problem with being a leading man.
“I think a lot of the great players, the best players, what they’re addicted to is being the showman,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, referencing Stephen Curry’s fourth-quarter heroics that pushed the Golden State Warriors over the Clippers in a thrilling play-in game Wednesday night. “And being on the stage and giving a performance. …
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Lakers playoff schedule
First round All times Pacific
Saturday: Houston at Lakers, 5:30 p.m, ABC Tuesday: Houston at Lakers, 7:30 p.m., NBC Friday, April 24: Lakers at Houston, 5:30 p.m., Amazon Prime Video Sunday, April 26: Lakers at Houston, 6:30 p.m., NBC *Wed., April 29: Houston at Lakers, TBD *Friday, May 1: Lakers at Houston, TBD *Sunday, May 3: Houston at Lakers, TBD
*-if necessary
Mike Trout homers again
Mike Trout hit his fifth homer of the series and the Angels overcame a homer by Aaron Judge in their 11-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday afternoon for a four-game split.
Trout, who recently made a mechanical adjustment, went six for 16 with five homers and nine RBIs in the series. Trout hit his latest homer with one out in the seventh inning when he sent a 2-2 slider from reliever Angel Chivilli about halfway up the left field bleachers for a 7-4 lead.
Trout homered in his fifth straight game at Yankee Stadium and became the fourth to hit five homers in a series against the Yankees. The others were Jimmie Foxx (1933), Darrell Evans (1985) and George Bell (1990), according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
From Marisa Ingemi: A surprisingly shaky semifinal evening for UCLA gymnastics has the Bruins leaving Fort Worth early after finishing in third place in the NCAA national semifinals.
An early fall from Jordan Chiles followed by some wobbly vaults in the final rotations were too much to overcome as No. 13 seed Minnesota stunned in their final rotation on bars and national favorite Oklahoma was steady throughout. The top two teams advanced to the championship on Saturday.
The No. 4 seed Bruins scored a 197.2750, 0.1875 behind Oklahoma and Minnesota and just ahead of No. 9 seed Arkansas, which was also eliminated. UCLA was the only top-four seed that didn’t advance.
Chiles took the individual floor title with a 9.9750 score, her second NCAA floor championship.
Matthew Stafford shows off the Rams’ new white uniforms.
(Brevin Townsell / Rams)
From Gary Klein: The Rams’ bone-colored uniforms have been sent to the graveyard.
In a release on Thursday, the team unveiled updated Royal Blue and white uniforms and announced subtle changes to logos as part of what the Rams described as “a refined brand and uniform refresh.”
Later this year, according to the release, the Rams will announce two alternate uniforms to go along with the revamped Royal Blue and white ensembles and the black “Midnite Mode” rivalry uniform they debuted last season in a game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium.
But the team “removed the ‘Bone’ uniform from the rotation,” the release said.
The Rams also made other subtle changes. The “LA” monogram no longer includes gradient coloring. The Rams head logo has been “enhanced to appear bolder and tougher for a fiercer expression, and the horn features a sharper, more defined point,” the release said.
Led by Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles, the Bruins’ gymnastics squad is having its best season since 2018 and will compete in Fort Worth in an NCAA national semifinal on Thursday for a spot in Saturday’s championship meet.
The Bruins haven’t won an NCAA gymnastics championship in eight years, a long gap for the seven-time champions known for developing Olympic talent.
UCLA will compete in a semifinal against Oklahoma, Arkansas and Minnesota. The Bruins will start on the bars, then go to the beam, floor and vault.
Arsenii Sergeev made 27 saves in his first NHL start, Zayne Parekh broke a third-period tie and the Calgary Flames beat the playoff-bound Kings 3-1 on Thursday night to end the season.
The Kings learned during the game that they’d be the second wild-card in the Western Conference and face NHL regular-season champion Colorado in the first round — with Game 1 on Sunday in Denver.
The Kings finished 35-27-20. Earlier Thursday, Edmonton took second place in the Pacific Division with a 6-1 home victory over Vancouver, and the Ducks won 5-4 at Nashville to finish third.
Sunday: Kings at Colorado, noon, TNT, truTV, HBO Max Tuesday: Kings at Colorado, 7 p.m., ESPN Thursday: Colorado at Kings, 7 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max Sunday, April 26: Colorado at Kings, 1:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max *Wed., April 29: Kings at Colorado, TBD *Friday, May 1: Colorado at Kings, TBD *Sunday, May 3: Kings at Colorado, TBD
*- If necessary
Ducks defeat the Predators
Troy Terry scored on a power play with 2:54 left, and the Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 Thursday night putting them close to clinching the third seed in the Pacific Division for the postseason.
The Ducks came into the regular-season finale third in the Pacific with five different scenarios still possible to lock down the final playoff slots. This win, combined with Edmonton needing only a point against visiting Vancouver, means the Ducks likely start the first round Monday at Edmonton.
The Ducks also took the season series against Nashville 2-1, though the Ducks go into the postseason 2-6-2 over their final 10.
Monday: Ducks at Edmonton, 7 p.m., ESPN2 Wednesday: Ducks at Edmonton, 7 p.m., TBS, HBO Max Friday: Edmonton at Ducks, 7 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max) Sunday: Edmonton at Ducks, 6:30 p.m., ESPN *Tuesday, April 28: Ducks at Edmonton, TBD *Thursday, April 30: Edmonton at Ducks, TBD *Saturday, May 2: Ducks at Edmonton, TBD
*-if necessary
This day in sports history
1939 — Joe Louis knocks out Jack Roper at 2:20 of the first round in Los Angeles to retain the world heavyweight title.
1967 — Italian boxer Nino Benvenuti beats American Emile Griffith in a 15-round points decision to win world middleweight crown.
1976 — Australian tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley wins her second WTA Tour Championship at the Los Angeles Sports Arena; beats Chris Evert.
1982 — The Denver Nuggets’ Alex English, Dan Issel and Kiki Vandeweghe each average 20 points a game, the first front court to do so since Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan and Clyde Lovellette of St. Louis in 1961.
1987 — Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers becomes the third player to score 30,000 points in his pro career. Erving scores 38 points to join Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1994 — Carl Lewis and his Santa Monica Track Club teammates rewrite their world record in the 800-meter relay at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. Lewis, Mike Marsh, Leroy Burrell and Floyd Heard are timed at 1:18.68, breaking the record of 1:19.11 they had set on April 25, 1992.
1995 — Wayne Gretzky reaches 2,500 career points when he sets up a power-play goal by Rob Blake in the Kings’ 5-2 loss to Calgary.
1997 — The New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur becomes the second NHL goalie to score in the playoffs. Brodeur’s empty net goal caps a three-goal third period that gives the Devils a 5-2 win and a 1-0 lead in a first-round series against Montreal.
1999 — Quarterbacks go 1-2-3 in the NFL Draft as Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith go to Cleveland, Philadelphia and Cincinnati — the first quarterback trifecta since 1971.
2006 — Sidney Crosby, scores three assists in Pittsburgh’s 6-1 win over the New York Islanders to become the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. The 18-year-old becomes the seventh NHL rookie to reach the 100-point mark.
2011 — Jimmie Johnson wins the Aaron’s 499, edging Clint Bowyer by about a foot. The official margin of 0.002 seconds, ties for the closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup history.
2018 — Brayden McNabb scores against his former team in the second period, lifting Vegas to a 1-0 victory over the Kings that makes the Golden Knights the first expansion team in NHL history to sweep its first playoff series. Marc-Andre Fleury turns in another stellar performance, stopping 31 shots as the Knights finish off their fourth one-goal victory of the series.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1932 — New York first baseman Bill Terry tied an NL record with 21 putouts as the Giants beat Boston 5-0 behind Hal Schumacher’s two-hitter.
1951 — In his first major league game, Mickey Mantle went 1-for-4 in the New York Yankees’ 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
1953 — Mickey Mantle cleared the bleachers at Griffith Stadium with a 565-foot home run off Chuck Stobbs. The shot came in the fifth inning of a 7-3 win over the Senators.
1964 — The New York Mets lost their first game at Shea Stadium, falling 4-3 to the Pirates. Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell hit the first homer at Shea.
1969 — Bill Stoneman of Montreal pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th game of the Expos’ existence.
1976 — Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies hit four consecutive home runs and a single in an 18-16, 10-inning victory over the Cubs in Wrigley Field. Hitting .167 going into the game, he connected twice off Rick Reuschel, once off Rick’s brother, Paul, and once off Darold Knowles. He drove in eight runs.
1983 — Nolan Ryan strikes out seven Expos in a 6-3 Houston victory to become only the second pitcher in major league history to record 3,500 career strikeouts.
2000 — Major League Baseball owners vote to approve the $96 million sale of the Kansas City Royals to team chairman David Glass.
2001 — Barry Bonds became the 17th major leaguer to hit 500 home runs. Bonds’ two-run, eighth-inning drive off Terry Adams went into San Francisco Bay to lead the Giants over the Dodgers 3-2.
2008 — Troy Tulowitzki’s RBI double with two outs in the 22nd inning scored Willy Taveras and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 in the longest game in the majors in nearly 15 years, a 6-hour, 16-minute marathon.
2008 — Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann hit consecutive home runs in a span of 12 pitches in the fifth inning off Florida’s Ricky Nolasco in Atlanta’s 8-0 win.
2009 — Jason Kubel completed the ninth cycle in Twins history with a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that helped Minnesota to an 11-9 victory over the Angels.
2010 — Ubaldo Jimenez pitched the first no-hitter in the Colorado Rockies’ 18-year history, dominating the Atlanta Braves in a 4-0 victory. Jimenez (3-0) walked six — all in the first five innings. He was helped by Dexter Fowler’s diving backhanded catch in left-center field in the seventh inning.
2010 — Jose Reyes hit a sacrifice fly in the 20th inning and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in the longest game in the majors in two years. Jeff Francoeur also had a sacrifice fly for New York in the 19th inning, snapping a scoreless tie, but Yadier Molina singled in Albert Pujols with two out in the bottom half. St. Louis left the bases loaded in the 10th, 12th and 14th and stranded 22 runners, including 14 in extra innings.
2012 — Jamie Moyer, 49, became the oldest pitcher to win a major league game. He threw seven masterful innings and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run homer, helping the Colorado Rockies hold on for a 5-3 win over the San Diego Padres. Moyer’s 268th win tied him with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the career list.
2014 — Major League Baseball suspended Seattle Mariners first baseman Ji-Man Choi 50 games following a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance.
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. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Unmoved by postseason pressure, superstar LeBron James said he doesn’t plan to change his preparation ahead of the Lakers’ playoff opener against the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Approaching his record-tying 19th postseason appearance, James has reason to believe in his well-established routine.
“Nothing changes for me from the regular season to the postseason,” James said, “besides just making even more heightened focus.”
The consistent approach that guided him through 23 regular seasons puts James in position to star in another high-stakes game as the Lakers (53-29) chase the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. James will command almost the entire spotlight with guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves still sidelined.
The 41-year-old, 22-time All-Star has never had a problem with being a leading man.
“I think a lot of the great players, the best players, what they’re addicted to is being the showman,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, referencing Stephen Curry’s fourth-quarter heroics that pushed the Golden State Warriors over the Clippers in a thrilling play-in game Wednesday night. “And being on the stage and giving a performance. …
“One of the reasons they’re great and they’re able to be the showman so consistently is because they recognize [that] to be the showman, I have to do all the things necessary to then go on stage and perform at my best. And that’s the commitment with LeBron that I’ve talked about so often.”
The stage is set for a star-studded first-round series with James and Houston’s Kevin Durant. The Rockets’ superstar rose to fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list this season. He and James, the league’s all-time leading scorer, have 76,037 combined regular-season points, more than the rest of the Lakers’ roster combined (57,341).
“He’s the head of the snake,” James said of Durant. “But it’s the Houston Rockets and they have some damned good players on that team.”
Durant has the support of two-time NBA All-Star center Alperen Sengun, who is averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. James leads the Lakers alone. They’re without Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) indefinitely.
Since Doncic and Reaves were injured, James assumed the primary role in the Lakers’ offense and has delivered 25.5 points, 11 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game. Battling the emotional toll of Doncic’s and Reaves’ injuries, James set the tone for the Lakers’ strong finish to the regular season with his vocal leadership and strong play, Redick said. His teammates are falling in line.
“He’s been in the playoffs I don’t know how many times,” Lakers guard Bronny James said. “So he’s won series, won Finals, I think we just need to have our mind open and ears open and listen to whatever he says because he knows the most.”
Lakers star LeBron James and coach JJ Redick discuss strategy during a game against the Clippers this season.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
After years of competing against each other in the NBA and with each other on the international stage, Durant said earlier this season that the Miami Heat version of James was the hardest player he’s ever had to guard. James said every version of Durant feels like an impossible matchup.
The 37-year-old scores in bunches and does it efficiently, Redick said. Durant hasn’t shot worse than 50% from the field in a season since 2011-12. Now in his 18th season, Durant played the second-most total minutes of any player this season, trailing only 23-year-old teammate Amen Thompson.
“He’s a guard in a big man’s body,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “I’m 6-3 and he’s 7-foot so he has that advantage and that’s what makes it tough, because he’ll shoot right over top of you it seems. But playing him the years that I have played him — and last month — it definitely gives you insight of what to expect.”
Durant averaged 18 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists in two losses to the Lakers in March. He shot 55.6% from the field but had 11 total turnovers. The Lakers, who often double-teamed Durant to take the ball out of his hands, forced 36 turnovers in the two wins.
The Lakers expect the same defensive pressure from the Rockets, who are ranked sixth defensively. Guards Reed Sheppard and Thompson both rank in the top 10 in the league in total steals with 122 and 119, respectively.
Smart and guard Luke Kennard have taken larger ball-handling responsibilities along with James to offset the loss of Doncic and Reaves. Bronny James is in line for rotation minutes in the Lakers’ shorthanded backcourt. The 21-year-old guard has played in 10 consecutive games, the longest stretch of his young NBA career, averaging 6.6 points, two assists and a steal with seven-for-17 shooting from three-point range in the five games since Doncic and Reaves were injured.
Getting to share the court with his son, whether in regular-season games, practice or now the postseason, is “the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career,” the elder James said.
With his future unknown beyond this season, James pledged all season to stay in the moment. The Lakers hope to make this postseason one last.
“The moment is all we have,” James said. “At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
