“It feels almost like a loss,” Tavernier conceded. “Being a Rangers player, you have to win every single game. That’s what we have to do from now to the end of this competition.
“It’s definitely not over, but we have to build from this.”
Djiga contrived to head the ball into Martinez’s path under no pressure to gift Braga a point, the defender appearing to lose the flight of the ball in swirling conditions.
With John Souttar and Derek Cornelius injured, Djigi was paired with Emmanuel Fernandez, with the former ultimately costing Rangers a vital win.
“I’ve got no complaint with Nasser, everyone makes a mistake, but we ultimately should have that game tied up before that even happens,” Tavernier added.
“We have to be more patient, probing around their final third instead of trying to shoot maybe when it’s not on. I’ve spoken about it before, about being clinical in both boxes, and we’ve got to do that.
“If we keep it clean sheet, we win. That’s our aim as a team, to keep clean sheets. We should have had that in our pocket with the 10 men that we were playing against.”
Welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where we got plenty of rest while the team played pickleball.
A rare four-day stretch without a game may have done wonders for the Lakers’ small nagging injuries, but it interrupted the team’s rhythm going into Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz. It showed in the clunky win in which the Lakers missed 28 three-point tries and let an 11-point fourth-quarter lead dwindle to one.
Despite being quite literally one of the worst shooting teams in the league, the Lakers are still 12-4. Players credited the team’s resiliency and chemistry as reasons the Lakers are still winning, but how long can this team survive on pure vibes?
All things Lakers, all the time.
Don’t stop believing
Luka Doncic’s shot trickled over the front of the rim, bounced high above the basket and swished through the net. When the three-pointer finally fell, Doncic raised both arms in equal parts disbelief and relief.
He’s the NBA’s leading scorer, but Doncic is shooting a career-worst 31.1% from three on a career-high 11 three-point attempts per game. Austin Reaves, also enjoying a career season offensively, is shooting the same poor percentage from three-point range.
Almost every Lakers rotation player is shooting below his career average from three-point range through 16 games this season. Shooting 33.3% from three, the Lakers are 26th out of 30 teams. Their 10.9 makes a game are the fewest in the league.
“We’ve got to shoot the ball better,” coach JJ Redick said after the Lakers survived a comeback attempt against the Jazz on Sunday. “But it’s got to be a belief in each other and a belief in ourselves to knock down shots.”
Nearing the 20-game mark of the season, the Lakers are not fretting about their frigid outside shooting. Redick recalled how the Lakers shot 34.8% from three in the first two months of last season. Then after shooting 46.7% in a two-point loss to the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 23, the Lakers made 37.7% of their threes for the rest of the regular season.
Part of the shift came after the trade that brought Doncic. He shot 37.9% from three while with the Lakers last season, and the team’s overall three-point attempts increased from 33.8 per game to 40.4 in the final two months of the season.
The Lakers are taking 32.4 three-pointers per game this season. Redick anticipated that the number would rise, but with the current shooting struggles, he wanted to focus more on simply maximizing what his players do well.
“We’re going to do the things that put our guys in a position to create advantages and generate good offense,” Redick said before Sunday’s game. “However that looks as it morphs and evolves throughout the year, that’s just going to be what it is, the philosophy behind it. And if it ends up being we shoot 40 threes a game, great.”
Redick celebrated the team’s otherwise effective offense that is second in true shooting percentage (61.5%) and first in points per shot (1.42). The other glaring issue is turnover percentage, where the Lakers rank 28th.
“If we were out there not creating great looks or we were not playing [the right way] and we were playing selfish basketball [it would be different],” said LeBron James, who has made two of seven shots from three in his two games since returning from sciatica. “That’s not our M.O. So you look at over half of the threes that we missed tonight, a lot of them were wide open, but a lot of them were just finding the right player. The ball has so much energy in it that we’re not worried about that.”
Of their 38 three-point attempts against the Jazz, 25 came with the closest defender six or more feet away. The Lakers made just six of those open shots, with Doncic, Reaves and Marcus Smart going four for 17.
“We’re definitely gonna shoot better,” Smart said. “We work too hard not to.”
What’s up with the NBA Cup?
Even Deandre Ayton didn’t know what was going on with the NBA Cup. The Lakers center absorbed a turnover late in a blowout against the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 14 instead of taking an easy shot. When he heard his teammates screaming at him to shoot, he admitted later he didn’t realize the potential importance of those two points.
Ayton instead intertwined his middle and ring fingers and held his right hand up toward the bench. The ‘W’ is all that mattered.
Entering the final week of NBA Cup group play, the Lakers need just one more W to clinch their spot in the quarterfinals. The winner of Tuesday’s game between the Lakers and Clippers at Crypto.com Arena officially claims West Group B.
The Lakers and Clippers are 2-0 in group play with two games remaining. The group also includes the Memphis Grizzlies, the Dallas Mavericks and the already eliminated New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers finish group play with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in a game that, even if the Lakers clinch the top spot Tuesday, could still matter.
The three group winners advance to the quarterfinals, and the top second-place team from each conference earns a wild card. The two teams with the best group play record in each conference will host the quarterfinal games. The No. 1 seed goes to the team with the best overall record, and if the records are even, then point differential will be the first tiebreaker for seeding.
Oklahoma City is also 2-0 halfway through group play and has a league-best plus-63 point differential, putting the Thunder in position to earn the No. 1 seed in the West quarterfinals.
The Lakers have a plus-19 point differential in group games and are in position to be the second-seeded team in the West, possibly playing against the West Group C winner.
The third group in the West is one of the most competitive in the league as Portland and Denver entered this week tied with 2-1 records. Portland has the first-priority head-to-head tiebreaker against the Nuggets, but Denver has a plus-26 point differential that positions it well as a potential wild-card team.
Top-seeded teams will host the quarterfinal games on Dec. 9 and 10. The losing teams in each conference’s quarterfinals will play each other in a regular season game on one of four dates: Dec. 11, 12, 14 or 15. The semifinals are in Las Vegas on Dec. 13, and the final will be on Dec. 16.
On tap
Records and stats updated entering Monday’s games
Nov. 25 vs. Clippers (5-12), 8 p.m., NBA Cup group play
Kawhi Leonard returned to the lineup on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 20 points, but he couldn’t rescue the Clippers, who have just two wins in November,
Nov. 28 vs. Mavericks (5-13), 7 p.m., NBA Cup group play
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Anthony Davis is injured. After missing his return to L.A. last year because of an abdominal strain, the former Lakers’ star has been sidelined for almost a month with a calf injury, potentially delaying his much-anticipated first game in L.A. since the infamous trade.
Nov. 30 vs. Pelicans (2-15), 6:30 p.m.
The Pelicans took a big swing to draft Derik Queen in the first round last April and the former Maryland star is starting to show some signs of promise. Queen averaged 23.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in three games against Atlanta, Dallas and Denver. He added 11 assists in a 118-115 loss to the Mavericks that eliminated New Orleans from NBA Cup contention.
Dec. 1 vs. Suns (11-6), 7 p.m.
Losing Kevin Durant to free agency made it seem like Devin Booker and Phoenix would be in rebuild mode, but they’re in the thick of the West. Booker leads the team with 26.9 points and 7.1 assists per game.
Best thing I ate this week
Thit nuong
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
While the Lakers played pickleball, I was soaking up my extended home time with loved ones. One of my easy crowd pleasers is thit nuong, which is Vietnamese grilled pork. Slices of pork shoulder are marinated with garlic, shallots, lemongrass, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and oyster sauce, threaded onto skewers and grilled. (I, however, don’t have a grill so I bake mine on a rack in the oven.) They’re a great finger food eaten off the skewer or as a meal with rice or, in this case, rice noodles. And it’s not Vietnamese if there aren’t pickled carrots and daikon.
My dad once told me my thit nuong was better than my mom’s. It is my greatest culinary accomplishment.
“This is one I’ve not won and everyone does know that,” he told ITV. “I’m definitely chasing for it so hopefully I can come back tomorrow and get another win.”
Littler averaged 102.67 to Pietreczko’s 90.41, and threw six maximum 180s to his opponent’s two.
Earlier in the day, he reached the last 16 with a composed 6-3 success against Ross Smith, never letting his opponent take the lead.
A 10-6 victory for Gerwyn Price against Martin Schindler sealed the Welshman’s progress following a 6-1 triumph over Sebastian Bialecki.
Luke Littler won his first match as world number one to progress at the Players Championship Finals, while Gian van Veen produced a second stunning comeback victory against Luke Humphries in the space of a month.
Less than a month after upsetting Humphries in the final of the European Championship, Van Veen fought back from three legs down to defeat the defending champion 6-5 in Minehead.
Humphries flew out of the traps with checkouts of 145, 40 and 83, but Van Veen came roaring back with finishes of 161 and 81 on bullseye.
The former world number one steadied himself before losing throw at 4-4, before two Van Veen misses allowed Humphries to set up a deciding leg.
Van Veen’s hard work looked to be in vain as he missed five match darts, but Humphries was equally wasteful and fell to a fourth consecutive loss to the Dutchman.
It has not been the best month for Humphries, who earlier this month surrendered his world number one crown to Littler when he lost to ‘The Nuke’ in the Grand Slam of Darts final.
Meanwhile, Littler breezed into the second round with a 6-1 victory against Jeffrey de Graaf.
After being introduced to the crowd as world number one for the first time in his career, Littler averaged 104.46 to continue his hunt for a first Players Championship title.
“It felt absolutely amazing, probably one of the best feelings I’ve had, to be world champion and world number one at the same time – but there is more to come,” Littler told ITV Sport.
“This is the title I haven’t won yet. Last year I came up short against Luke Humphries so I want to tick this one off.”
The 18-year-old will face Ross Smith in the second round after the Englishman saw off Ryan Meikle 6-1.
Top seed Gerwyn Price was not at his best against Max Hopp – missing six darts when trying to take a 5-2 lead – but the German failed to capitalise and Price won 6-2.
Stephen Bunting notched a routine 6-2 victory over Ritchie Edhouse, before Nathan Aspinall dispatched Karel Sedlacek 6-3.
Four-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld limped out with a 6-3 defeat by Krzysztof Ratajski.
Rob Cross, Dave Chisnall and Jonny Clayton were all beaten in the afternoon session, with James Hurrell defeating former finalist Clayton with a 99.2 average.
World number six James Wade progressed with a comfortable 6-3 win over Mickey Mansell.
With Northern Ireland two games away from qualification for the 2026 World Cup, manager Michael O’Neill has told his players not to “waste this opportunity”.
It’s certainly not a straightforward path to North America as O’Neill’s side travel to Italy for their play-off semi-final on 26 March and, should they stun the Azzurri, they will then travel to either Wales of Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later for a winner-takes-all final.
Italy have not qualified for a World Cup since the 2014 edition in Brazil, with Northern Ireland absent from the big dance since 1986 when it was last held in Mexico – one of the three host nations next year alongside Canada and the USA.
Although O’Neill’s side has a young age profile, the Northern Ireland manager has no fears his side can rise to the challenge in the play-off and, despite defeats away by Germany and Slovakia in the group phase, feels his side showed enough on the road to suggest they can spring the surprise.
“It’s difficult to win away in international football and that is something this team still has to develop, but I take a lot of encouragement from the performances in Cologne and Slovakia where we were challenged and were missing key players in those games,” he said.
“We still gave a really good account of ourselves and were in the game in Germany for 70, 75 minutes. We were in the game in Slovakia right to the end and felt a little big aggrieved by the nature of that result.
“We have to make the game as difficult as possible for Italy and it will be difficult for them with the expectation they carry into the game.
“If we can add to that with how we play the game and the level of our performance, then who knows. We have an opportunity to go to a World Cup and we have to do everything possible to try to take it. What I will say to them [players] is ‘don’t waste the opportunity.'”
SACRAMENTO — Current and former members of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration were among the dozens of Sacramento insiders who received FBI letters in recent days notifying them that their phone calls, texts or other electronic communications had been intercepted as part of the federal corruption case tied to Dana Williamson and two other longtime Democratic operatives.
The notifications are routine in wiretap investigations once surveillance ends, but the letters set off a wave of panic across California’s political power structure. The letters are signed by Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel and began arriving in mailboxes from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., last week, according to copies of the communications shared with The Times.
The legal notifications, under the terms of the 1968 Federal Wiretap Act, are sent out routinely to people whose private communications have been captured on federal wiretaps.
A Newsom spokesperson said the governor’s office is aware that a limited number of the letters were sent to current and former members of the administration. The spokesperson said that the letters were expected given federal law requires parties to be notified. Newsom’s office said the governor did not receive a letter.
Newsom’s office said the governor is not involved in the case against Williamson. None of the charging documents released in the cases against the three aides mention Newsom.
Copies of the letters, which were provided to The Times by individuals who asked to remain anonymous, indicate the period of time the communications were intercepted ranged from May 2024 to the end of July of 2024.
“This letter does not necessarily mean you were the target of the investigation or that any criminal action will be taken against you,” Patel wrote in the letter. “Rather, the purpose of this letter is to notify you that some of your communications may have been intercepted during the course of the investigation.”
Williamson, known as one of California’s toughest political insiders who previously worked as chief of staff to Newsom, was arrested last week on federal charges that allege she siphoned $225,000 out of 2026 gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra’s dormant state campaign account. She also was accused of spending $1 million on luxury handbags and high-flying travel and illegally declaring them as business expenses on her tax returns.
According to the 23-count indictment, Williamson conspired with Becerra’s former chief deputy in the California attorney general’s office and ex-chief of staff Sean McCluskie, along with lobbyist Greg Campbell to bill Becerra’s dormant campaign account for bogus consulting services.
Williamson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The highly publicized indictment against Williamson was sprinkled with references to her phone calls and text messages, indicating that federal investigators were likely relying on wiretapping. But the letters informing a wide swath of political insiders, from lobbyists to other operatives, is causing widespread anxiety across the Capitol.
The exact number of letters sent by the FBI is unknown, but political insiders say they’ve heard dozens of people have received one.
“It sends a chill up your spine, and everybody is worried,” said Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio, who said he did not receive a letter. “They can’t remember what they said to whom, about what. It could be anything. I think most people think this could be the tip of the iceberg. They are very concerned about where all these roads might lead.”
Welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where I need a recovery ice bath after all that travel.
The Lakers went 3-2 during an uneven trip that ended on a high note with back-to-back wins in New Orleans and Milwaukee. But after getting thrashed by Oklahoma City in Game 3 of the five-game trip, Marcus Smart said the team was starting to show its fatigue on the road. After packing, repacking and already reaching the next level of hotel loyalty status less than a month into the season, I can relate.
But, similiar to my favorite colleague Brad Turner picking up the travel slack, the Lakers also have reinforcements.
All things Lakers, all the time.
LeBron James is back. Now what?
Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic established themselves as one of the league’s most dynamic duos while powering the shorthanded Lakers to a 10-4 record. With LeBron James officially back on the Lakers’ practice court, he could make this three a real party.
“I’m a ball player,” James said Monday after his first full practice with the team this year. “… There’s not one team, not one club in the world that I cannot fit in and play for. I can do everything on the floor. So whatever this team needs me to do, I can do it when I’m back to myself.”
Despite the encouraging start that has the team fourth in the West, the Lakers are not modern basketball’s statistical darling. They play slowly (19th in pace), take the fourth-fewest three-pointers in the league while making the second-worst percentage and have the third-most turnovers per game. James, who still stopped short of saying he is pain-free from right sciatica, is unlikely to be an immediate solution to any of those problems.
But he is still the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“It’s LeBron,” Reaves said. “Just his presence and his ability is going to lift the team.”
The team joked during the film session that it got a new player Monday. James introduced himself to his teammates. Reaves and Doncic have become the favorite “bromance” of some niche NBA social media circles, and the Lakers’ chemistry was one of the key talking points from its early season success. Players joke on the bench, trash talk each other in Instagram comments and Doncic’s post-practice half-court shooting competition has expanded to include at least three other teammates.
James observed all the good vibes from afar. He sent congratulatory texts after wins and encouraging texts after losses, but returning Monday felt like “a kid going to a new school again.” He knows fitting with the team will have to come organically.
“He has the ability to lift everybody’s day,” Reaves said. “All these guys grew up loving him. So it’s good to get his voice back in the room and obviously the IQ speaks for itself, as well.”
When asked of what he saw from the team while sidelined, James rattled off a long list of observations. He loved the ball movement. He noted Deandre Ayton’s ability to anchor the back line and commended the 7-foot center as “one of the best screen setters” in the league. James shouted out the 25 critical minutes from Maxi Kleber in the win over Milwaukee, the contributions of Jake LaRavia, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart and the way younger players such as Nick Smith Jr. and Bronny James chipped in when the team was shorthanded against Portland on the second night of a back-to-back.
And he loved the dominance from Doncic and Reaves.
Doncic is leading the league in scoring with 34.4 points per game. He’s getting blitzed almost every time he crosses midcourt and still orchestrating an offense that is second in field-goal percentage (50.4).
Reaves is having a career year: 28.3 points, 8.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals are all career-bests. Of course with James out, Reaves’ usage rate is also at an all-time high.
When asked how he expects coverages to change for him with James back, Reaves shrugged. It’ll at least make his life easier, he said, to have who he calls “the greatest player to ever touch a basketball” back on the court.
“I don’t expect it to be perfect,” coach JJ Redick said. “But I also don’t expect it to be like, ‘Oh, these guys have never seen each other and met each other and don’t know each other’s name.’ They know what each of them bring.”
Last year, the Doncic-James-Reaves trio had an offensive rating of 117.8 points per 100 possessions. This year, the Lakers have a 121.6 offensive rating when Doncic and Reaves are on the floor together, the team’s highest mark for any two-man combination of starters.
Redick expects James’ presence will shake things up. He will command roughly 35 minutes when he is healthy, which will naturally disrupt the rotation and rhythm of his teammates. This will take some trial and error.
“There are some little formula of things you got to add,” Redick said. “If you put too much cinnamon in there, cookie’s not that good.”
Just let the Lakers cook.
The rookie will remember his first
Adou Thiero dunks over Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr.
(Morry Gash / Associated Press)
Adou Thiero fought to get back on the court and make his NBA debut. It was only right that his teammates would fight for him to commemorate the moment.
After the second-round pick scored four points in his first NBA action Saturday, including an emphatic two-handed dunk in the final minute of the win, Jarred Vanderbilt made sure to grab the game ball. He clutched it tightly as referee Pat Fraher tried to take it back. LaRavia and Doncic soon joined for backup, explaining they wanted to keep it for Thiero.
Eventually, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo who took the ball back from a Bucks staffer and handed it to Doncic, who wanted to deliver the meaningful memento to the Lakers’ rookie.
“I think he can be a great player,” Doncic told reporters. “He’s physical. He can jump out of the gym. And, you know, he’s a fighter.”
Redick and the coaching staff were mindful that the situation could have been difficult for Thiero. He didn’t get a preseason or a training camp. The rookie was coming off an injury and playing in the first half while making his NBA debut.
But Thiero made a good first impression.
He scrambled for an offensive rebound that led to a three-pointer from Kleber in the first quarter. He played a quick two-minute stint in the first half then returned in mop-up duty during the fourth quarter, scoring his first points on two made free throws that had the Lakers on their feet celebrating.
Then his two-handed dunk in transition sent the Lakers’ bench into pandemonium.
“Coming down and seeing everybody flexing all over the bench,” Thiero said, “it was just a good feeling for everybody to be happy for me.”
When Thiero returned to the locker room, it felt like a release. He told teammates he had waited seven months for that.
He suffered a hyperextended knee while playing for Arkansas on Feb. 22 and missed eight games. The Razorbacks’ leading scorer and rebounder returned in the NCAA regional semifinal but played just six minutes off the bench as Arkansas lost to Texas Tech. He got surgery after the college season and said at Lakers media day he was still working through some swelling in his knee.
“You could tell how hard he works,” Reaves said. “The time that he’s in the gym. He’s had some unfortunate injuries here and there, but really good kid, wants to do the right things, always on time. Just good character.”
On tap
By reader request, we’ll include a brief lookahead section previewing the upcoming week’s games. This one is easy: The Lakers host Utah on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in their only game this week.
The Jazz (5-8) lost center Walker Kessler to a season-ending shoulder surgery, but are led by forward Lauri Markkanen’s 30.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. The Finnish forward scored 47 points in the Jazz’s double-overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday in which guard Keyonte George hit the game-winning three with two seconds left. The third-year guard is averaging career-highs in points (22.2) and assists (seven).
Favorite thing I ate this week
The Cuban burrito from Cafe Kacao in Oklahoma City.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I have beef with Oklahoma City. Out of loyalty to my hometown, I will carry this vendetta until at least the NBA expands back to Seattle. But I allow myself to praise precisely one thing in that city and it’s the Cuban burrito at Cafe Kacao. It’s packed with vaca frita (shredded beef with sauteed onions), plantains, black beans and rice. The sweet and savory drizzle of plantain sauce and garlic sauce is the perfect topping.
Dean Henderson – Two important saves from Arber Hoxha to keep Albania at bay in the second half. Will be back-up to Jordan Pickford next summer. 6
Jarell Quansah – Can be happy with this England debut in an unfamiliar position at right-back. He doesn’t have a long-term future in the position but did a good job for his team. 7
John Stones – Stepped into midfield at every opportunity. Just as adept in the middle of the park as he is in the heart of defence. Crucial for England. 6.5
Dan Burn – Saw plenty of the ball but was no more than steady with his passing. Still questions over his ability against top international attackers. 6
Nico O’Reilly – Was caught by a couple of lapses in concentration in the first half but grew into the game. Can be happy with his first two international caps. 6
Adam Wharton – Showed flashes of the ability that marks him one of England’s most promising central midfielders but nowhere near enough to dislodge Elliot Anderson from the usual starting XI. 6
Declan Rice – England’s number four was once again deployed in the number eight position. Not his most eye-catching display but remains one of England’s most important players. 6.5
Jarrod Bowen – Made a couple of meaningful marks down the right-hand side but the position belongs to Bukayo Saka and everyone knows it. 6
Jude Bellingham – Flittered in and out of the game on his return to the England team and appeared frustrated to be coming off, but he will be so important to his country’s chances of World Cup success. 6.5
Eberechi Eze – Did not pose a consistent enough threat down England’s left. More suited to a role at number 10 – where England are overloaded with options. 6
Harry Kane – England’s match-winner yet again. Where would England be without their skipper, who is in the form of his life? 8
Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer says he and his squad are “hurting” after the death of Marshawn Kneeland, adding they’ will do everything they can to “honour” him after the defensive end passed away aged 24.
Sri Lanka governing body instructs national team to continue tour in Pakistan despite several players wanting to leave.
Published On 13 Nov 202513 Nov 2025
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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has told its players to remain in Pakistan or risk facing a “formal review” after members of the squad declared their intention to depart early from their tour of the country due to security concerns.
The players expressed fears for their safety after Tuesday’s suicide bombing in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, which killed 12 people and wounded 27 outside a court.
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The SLC issued a statement on Wednesday saying it instructed the team to go ahead with their ongoing tour of Pakistan as scheduled despite an unspecified number of players asking to return home.
“If any player, players, or member of the support staff return despite SLC’s directives, a formal review will be conducted … and an appropriate decision will be made,” the board said.
It added that replacements would be sent to ensure the tour continues without interruption.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the second one-day international (ODI) scheduled for Thursday has been moved back by one day while Saturday’s third match will now be played on Sunday. Both will be in Rawalpindi.
“Grateful to the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue the Pakistan tour,” PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on social media. “The spirit of sportsmanship and solidarity shines bright.”
Six Sri Lankan players were wounded in March 2009 when gunmen opened fire on their team bus as it was driving to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a Test match.
The incident led to international teams staying away from Pakistan for nearly a decade.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six runs in the opening ODI in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, a game that went ahead despite the suicide attack in adjacent Islamabad.
The PCB said security around the visiting team has been tightened since the attack.
Naqvi met Sri Lankan players at their Islamabad hotel on Wednesday and assured them of their safety, Pakistani officials said.
Sri Lanka are playing in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan before taking part in a T20 tri-series tournament against the hosts and Zimbabwe November 17-29.
Several members of the Sri Lankan national cricket team are reportedly against staying in Pakistan after an explosion in Islamabad took place just hours before their one-day international against Pakistan in nearby Rawalpindi [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
Leading off the 2028 Olympic Games: Shohei Ohtani, at Dodger Stadium. On deck: The lighting of the Olympic torch.
That is how the Los Angeles Games could look, based on the revised schedule announced Wednesday by LA28 organizers. In another sign that Major League Baseball is headed toward an agreement to allow its players to participate in the 2028 Games, LA28 adjusted its baseball schedule after discussions with the league.
Under the new schedule, the baseball competition would start on Thursday, July 13, 2028 — the day before the opening ceremony, rather than the day after.
That would give MLB the option to hold the 2028 All-Star Game on its traditional Tuesday date — most likely in San Francisco — with the Olympic baseball competition starting two days later in Los Angeles and ending on Wednesday, July 19. The major league schedule could resume the following weekend.
In past Olympic baseball tournaments, MLB has declined to stop its season, so minor league and college players have populated the rosters of many countries, including the United States. For 2028, MLB had no interest in canceling its All-Star Game and replacing it with the Olympic competition.
No final deal among LA28, MLB and the Major League Baseball Players’ Assn. has been reached, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred all but telegraphed this resolution in July, one day after LA28 said its baseball competition would begin on the day after the opening ceremony.
“They put out a schedule,” Manfred said then. “They tell you it’s not going to move. We’ll see whether there is any movement on that.
“It is possible to play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. It would require significant accommodations, but it is possible.”
Welcome back to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where we are bundling up during the Southeast’s deep freeze.
Snow flurries dusted the ground outside Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, but the Lakers were heating up. They knocked off the Charlotte Hornets for their sixth win over the last seven games and, after a clunker in Atlanta, vibes are, once again, high.
Austin Reaves returned in the game against the Hornets to help the Lakers inch closer to full health, but after weeks of an ever-changing rotation, we’re going to start on a player known for his consistency.
All things Lakers, all the time.
Prime Rui Hachimura
No one had this comparison on their bingo card this year. Rui Hachimura and M.J. himself? In one key area, at least, it holds for JJ Redick.
“[I] feel like he’s not going to miss a midrange shot right now,” Redick said before the Atlanta game. “It’s like prime Michael Jordan, prime Kawhi Leonard.”
Redick may have jinxed Hachimura, who went three-for-nine against the Hawks when everyone struggled, but the Japanese forward is quietly putting together a career year. He’s averaging 16.3 points per game on 58.6% shooting. His field-goal percentage is the team’s highest for any non-center. With the biggest stars in and out of the lineup because of injuries, Hachimura is one of just three Lakers players to appear in each of the first 11 games.
“One thing we know about Rui is he’s gonna be consistent,” guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s gonna get to his spots. He’s gonna make plays for us, and he’s gonna come in clutch for us.”
Despite the successful start, Hachimura was caught off guard when told of his accomplishments. He had no idea that he had shot better than 50% from the field in every game before the Atlanta dud. The Lakers forward’s eyebrows shot up when he heard that Redick put him and his midrange shots in the same sentence as His Airness.
Because to Hachimura, what he’s doing is just second nature to him.
“Those kinds of shots,” Hachimura said, “that’s why I got here at this point.”
Shooting 52.4% from three, Hachimura has also developed into a certified laser from distance, Redick said. He was shooting 40.2% from three during his Lakers career prior to this season.
Hachimura, who is in the final year of his contract, credited assistant coach Beau Levesque for helping him improve his offensive game, focusing on quicker decision making and smarter shot selection.
While his offensive prowess has been on display all season, he also backed it up Monday with some of the best defense Redick has watched him play. The Lakers held Charlotte — which scored 40 points in the first quarter — to 15 points in the third thanks in large part to Hachimura’s activity. The defensive stats aren’t impressive: one defensive rebound, one steal, no blocks.
But his teammates know Hachimura’s value.
“Nobody talks about him, but he deserves a lot of credit in our wins,” guard Luka Doncic said. “He’s been amazing for us, and the way he plays like every game just helps us a lot, especially to win games.”
10-game statistical check-in
The Lakers led the league in shooting percentage through their first 10 games and, until Sunday’s clunker in Atlanta, were a top-five ranked offense. The source of their offensive power is an unexpected shot.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
Entering Sunday’s games, the Lakers led the league with 11.3 attempts from 10-to-14 feet per game. The midrange shot has become the modern NBA’s statistically inefficient black sheep, but it’s been the key to keeping the Lakers afloat during the early season injuries.
The Lakers shot 55.8% from 10-to-14 feet, the league leaders from that distance entering Sunday’s games. When expanded to shooting zones, the Lakers take the second-highest percentage of non-layup two-pointers in the league, trailing only the Sacramento Kings. They also converted them at a scorching 55.9% clip. On two-point shots outside of the restricted area, no other team even cracked 50%.
Of course, this is all small-sample-size theater. Redick doesn’t think this will be the Lakers’ longterm shot profile because the team won’t look like this for long. The Lakers have been without Doncic, Reaves and LeBron James for part of or (in the case of James) all of the season.
Once the Lakers are “whole,” Redick suspects that the team will return to something closer to last year’s final version that ranked ninth in three-point attempts in games after the Doncic trade. Whether the higher quality shots will actually fall would be the next important step: The corner three is the only area from which the Lakers are shooting worse than league average.
Best thing I ate this week
The Swahili Plate with grilled lamb bites from Serengeti Kitchen in Charlotte, N.C. is served with coconut rice and pinto beans, collards and cabbage and sweet fried plantains.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I can find Tanzania on the map, but that’s the extent of my knowledge about the East African country. I was wholly unfamiliar with Tanzania’s game, and if my first taste from Serengeti Kitchen in Charlotte is any indication, they definitely got food game in that country.
The Swahili plate comes with coconut rice under coconut pinto beans with collard and cabbage and sweet fried plantains. I got the grilled lamb bites and proceeded to text all my friends about my favorite discovery Downtown Charlotte.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. High school basketball season is a week away from beginning, so let’s start discussing top players and top teams.
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Brandon McCoy has left St. John Bosco for Sierra Canyon.
(Greg Stein)
The Mission League has continued to have a surge in basketball talent through transfers and development of young players. Harvard-Westlake won consecutive state titles until Eastvale Roosevelt broke through last season and has won seven straight league championships.
Sierra Canyon will start out as No. 1 in the state in many rankings and polls with an influx of transfers, including St. John Bosco’s Brandon McCoy and JSerra’s Brannon Martinsen to team up with Maximo Adams, who previously played at Narbonne and Gardena Serra before starring for the Trailblazers last season.
Two of the best guards in the Trinity League. Georgia Tech commit Kaiden Bailey of Santa Margarita and Kansas commit Luke Barnett of Mater Dei. pic.twitter.com/sjjy8EWC1p
The Trinity League is not far behind, led by Santa Margarita, which returns four starters and has Georgia Tech commit Kaiden Bailey, Washington State commit Brayden Kyman and Oregon State commit Drew Anderson. Mater Dei has Kansas commit Luke Barnett. St. John Bosco has one of the nation’s top seniors in 6-foot-9 Christian Collins. The Braves also have one of the nation’s top lacrosse players who’s also 6-7, Dominic Perfetti.
Missouri commit Jason Crowe Jr. is back to lead Inglewood. Crossroads has added two sensational sophomore transfers in Evan Willis from Mater Dei and Shalen Sheppard from Brentwood. Pasadena’s 6-11 Josh Irving is committed to Texas A&M. Gene Roebuck from La Mirada is a high-scoring junior guard.
Quarterback Wyatt Brown of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame shows off the thrill of victory in 44-28 Division 3 playoff win over Laguna Beach.
(Craig Weston)
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame needed a strong offensive performance to hold off Laguna Beach 44-28 in a Division 3 opener. Quarterback Wyatt Brown made plays and running back Noel Washington had three touchdowns to offset 413 yards passing and four TD passes from Jack Hurst. Here’s the report.
No. 1 seeds losing were Torrance in Division 5, Crespi in Division 6, Silverado in Division 9, Village Christian in Division 10 and St. Anthony in Division 11.
Five No. 1 teams lost in the first round of the playoffs. It was also a tough week for unbeaten teams, with Crespi, Torrance, Crean Lutheran and Rowland losing in the opening round.
Leuzinger might have pulled off the most impressive win over Crean Lutheran 34-17 in Division 2 behind the return of quarterback Russell Sekona, who had four touchdown passes after being sidelined with a hand injury. Los Alamitos rallied for a 35-28 win over Yorba Linda. San Juan Hills got a walk-off field goal from Kyle Donahue to defeat Downey 28-27.
In Chaparral’s 63-42 win over Chaminade, quarterback Dane Weber completed 24 of 31 passes for 360 yards and five touchdowns with one interception and ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns in win over Chaminade.
Beware of trick plays in the football playoffs. Fullerton opened last night with a 38-21 win over La Quinta, including this beautiful double pass. Courtesy Interscholastic Films. pic.twitter.com/D5khTz8v6x
The Division 1 playoffs begin Friday: Orange Lutheran at St. John Bosco, Servite at Corona Centennial, Mission Viejo vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Santa Margarita at Sierra Canyon.
No. 1-seeded Carson and quarterback Chris Fields begin the Open Division playoffs Friday against King/Drew. The other opening matchups have Kennedy at Birmingham, Garfield playing Palisades at site to be announced and Crenshaw at San Pedro.
Van Nuys pulled off the biggest upset in Division I with a victory over No. 4-seeded Banning, Kudos to coach Ken Osorio, who resurrected a program that didn’t have many wins or many players before he took over in 2023. Van Nuys is at Marquez on Friday. Another good quarterfinal matchup has Franklin at No. 1 Venice.
In Division II, Western League schools University and Fairfax meet for a second time. University lost the first time 21-20. Chatsworth upset No. 3 Roosevelt and now plays at No. 6 Marshall. In Division III, top-seeded Santee received 241 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Darnell Miller, pushing his season total to 2,485 yards and 27 touchdowns.
History made with 1st #HSFB all-women crew 🔥 in a @CIFLACS playoff game, as Maywood CES defeats LA Fremont, 38-16, in #LACity Div 3.
Crew (L-R): Connie Wells (Back Judge), La Quica Hawkins (Umpire), Kim Bly (Referee), Zina Jones (Head Line Judge), Amirah Leonard (Line Judge)👏 pic.twitter.com/TDQHxzj9X7
Ava Irwin (2) celebrates with her teammates after catching two TD passes in JSerra’s 25-20 victory over Orange Lutheran for the Southern Section Division 1 flag football title.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Perfection. It was achieved by the JSerra flag football team with a 25-20 win over Orange Lutheran to win the Southern Section Division 1 championship.
Three times JSerra faced the defending Division 1 champions. Three times JSerra found a way to beat Orange Lutheran. The Lions finish 28-0.
Hall of Fame basketball player Gail Goodrich came to Sun Valley Poly High on Friday to have the school’s gym named after him.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Anges Times)
Gail Goodrich, one of the greatest basketball players in Los Angeles history, returned to town to have his alma mater, Sun Valley Poly, name its new gym, “The Gail Goodrich Sports Complex.”
Gail Goodrich scored 29 points in 1961 City final for Poly High. He scored 42 points for UCLA in 1965 NCAA final. He led the Lakers in scoring during the NBA championship year of 1971-72. Los Angeles sports legend. 82 years old and humble as ever. pic.twitter.com/zr8ddI3O9e
Goodrich, 82, was emotional and appreciative. He’s one of the few athletes to have won a City title, NCAA title and NBA title with Poly, UCLA and the Lakers. He’s a basketball Hall of Famer and beloved by many Los Angeles sports fans.
Sierra Canyon players celebrate their five-set victory over Marymount in the Southern Section Division I semifinals Nov. 1,2025, in Chatsworth, CA. Sierra Canyon went on to win the girls’ volleyball title. (Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Palisades knocked off Western League rival Venice to win the City Section Open Division title. Here’s the report.
Sierra Canyon received the No. 1 seed for the Open Division state volleyball playoffs that begin this week. Here are the pairings.
Water polo
Corona del Mar’s Sam Macias (20) fires in a goal at close range against Santa Margarita.
(Don Leach/Staff Photographer)
The Final Four is set for the Southern Section Open Division boys water polo semifinals Wednesday at Irvine’s Woollett Aquatic Center. It will be No. 1-seeded Newport Harbor facing No. 6 Mira Costa and No. 3 Corona del Mar taking on No. 4 Oaks Christian.
Harvard-Westlake basketball coach David Rebibo and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Ferkel have been elected to the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be June 28 at the Skirball Cultural Center in the Sepulveda Basin. . . .
Freshman Layla Phillips of Harbor Teacher Prep poses for a photo.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
The City Section has another freshman phenom to promote. Freshman Layla Phillips from Harbor Teacher Prep won the City Section girls’ golf championship, and it wasn’t even close. Here’s a profile on a player whose name is going to be known nationally. . . .
Moanikeala Finau from Diamond Bar won the Southern Section individual girls’ golf championship. . . .
A free heart screening for students and kids ages 10 to 25 will take place Thursday from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. at La Mirada High. . . .
St. John Bosco closer Jack Champlin has committed to UC Irvine. . . .
Daniel Robles has resigned as football coach at Don Lugo. . . .
Joe Jurado, who criticized the Southern Section when his 9-1 Rim of the World football team failed to make the playoffs at an at-large team, has resigned as head coach. . . .
Sophomore defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou from Orange Lutheran has reclassified to the class of 2027. He’s 6 feet 7, 275 pounds. . . .
Dean Herrington has been let go as football coach at St. Francis. Here’s the report. . . .
St. Francis is advertising its position as paying its new football coach from $125,000 to $175,000. JSerra is advertising from $150,000 to $200,000. The Catholic schools think football is a wise investment. . . .
Terrance Smith is no longer the football coach at Ayala. . . .
Junior quarterback Deshawn Laporte of Burbank has committed to Delaware State. . . .
Johnny Dukes is the new basketball coach at Eastvale Roosevelt. . . .
Linebacker Ryder Barnes from Crean Lutheran has committed to Cal Poly. . . .
Former Sun Valley Poly assistant football coach Steve Smith is the new head coach at Reseda. . . .
The Southern Section cross-country prelims will take place Friday and Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.
From the archives: Tyler Glasnow
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow with former Hart coach Jim Ozella, who coached him in high school.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Hart High pitcher Tyler Glasnow followed former Harvard-Westlake pitcher Jack Flaherty in coming to the Dodgers and becoming a world champion by contributing on the mound during the World Series. Glasnow was injured during last year’s World Series but finally came through for his home-town team.
From the Washington Post, a story on former San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold becoming an NFL MVP candidate.
From Westridgespyglass.org, a story on a high school journalist bringing to light how her school tried to keep quiet a volleyball match against Jurupa Valley.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the growth of former Los Alamitos receiver Makai Lemon, now a star at USC.
Tweets you might have missed
A look at the speed of Mater Dei receiver Chris Henry Jr. on his touchdown reception vs. St. John Bosco. Courtesy Interscholastic Films. pic.twitter.com/SKTLmm6OHr
USA U-17 team members include: Pedro Guimaraes* (Orange County SC; Aliso Viejo, Calif.), Enrique Martinez* (LA Galaxy; Compton, Calif.), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund/GER; El Segundo, Calif.) https://t.co/BFZxiVm4IG
As another example of the sometimes ridiculous happenings in LAUSD, Joe Reed has been cleared after 14 months of being in teacher jail (home with full pay). He returned to Huntington Park Oct. 24 but the principal didn’t save his basketball coaching position.
The competition is on for best hair among point guards in the Trinity League. Kaiden Bailey of Santa Margarita vs. Earl Bryson of JSerra. Winner deserves NIL deal. pic.twitter.com/diSyb1x7QG
JSerra Catholic (CA) set to pay next head coach up to $200k👀
The Lions officially posted their head football coaching position on Nov. 2 and will be considered one of the most desirable jobs in California high school football.
The LA84 Foundation announced 19 grants valued at $1.78 million to promote youth sports. Compton Unified will expand free after-school sports to 25 campuses. pic.twitter.com/45KZfrrDSI
The people trying to turn high school sports into college sports just stop. Go attach yourself to the wannabe prep schools who don’t care what high school sports is supposed to be about.
🚨BREAKING: FINAL RANKINGS! — Boys teams from Beckman, Woodbridge, West Torrance, Foothill Technology & Viewpoint along with girls teams from Mira Costa, Claremont, Santa Margarita, JSerra & St. Margaret’s complete the regular season as the top-ranked teams in their respective… pic.twitter.com/llhViqZVYO
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Laguna Beach’s football season came to an end on Friday night after the Breakers lost to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 44-28 in a Division 3 playoff opener. But if you saw the performances of three freshmen starters, you’d know how promising the future looks for Laguna Beach.
Luke Bogdan, 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, and Winston Darrow, 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, are 14 years old. Both start on the offensive line. Bogdan also played on the defensive line. Then there’s Charlie Christian, a running back and linebacker who is 15 and never wants to go down without a fight.
To have players so young holding their own on an offensive line in Division 3 was remarkable. Quarterback Jack Hurst was sacked once. Then there’s Christian, who caught five passes for 85 yards while also taking on Notre Dame’s huge offensive line on defense at his linebacker position.
When college recruiters see these freshmen on film and imagine how big and strong they might become in the coming years, they’ll be impressed.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Warning: This story contains information some readers may find distressing
Quarterback Dak Prescott says the Dallas Cowboys’ players are “hurting” following the death of team-mate Marshawn Kneeland.
Defensive lineman Kneeland, drafted by the Cowboys in the second round in 2024, died aged 24 on Thursday.
Frisco Police Department in Texas said Kneeland appeared to have taken his own life after a vehicle pursuit and multi-agency search on Wednesday night.
Kneeland, in his second season with the Cowboys, scored his first NFL touchdown by recovering a blocked punt on Monday in a loss to Arizona.
Prescott and his team-mates had a team video call in the wake of Kneeland’s death which the 32-year-old said had been “very tough” following a “tragic loss”.
“I hurt for Marshawn, I hurt for his family, I hurt for his girlfriend, I hurt for every single one of my team-mates,” Prescott told CBS Texas.
Prescott’s own brother Jace died by suicide, external in 2020 and he has worked with mental health initiatives in the past few years.
He acknowledged Kneeland’s death had been “triggering” and it was “hard to balance” his emotions.
“This is a pain that you don’t wish upon anybody,” he said.
“You wish none of us had to go through this. You wish Marshawn didn’t have to go through what he went through.
“Tough moment for this team. I feel and hurt for everybody that’s involved in this and Marshawn’s family and loved ones.”
The Cowboys have a bye this week on the NFL schedule before they return to competition on 17 November at Las Vegas.
Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher says players must fulfil their individual responsibilities better if the squad is to bounce back in their three home autumn internationals after losing to New Zealand in Chicago.
The All Blacks secured a 26-13 comeback win over Andy Farrell’s side at Soldier Field, with the Irish now set to face Japan on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, then Australia and South Africa at the same venue.
Tadhg Beirne had his initial yellow card after three minutes of the contest with New Zealand upgraded to a 20-minute red and although Ireland led 13-7 early in the second half, a flurry of three tries in the space of 15 minutes in the final quarter of the game saw their opponents avenge their loss at the same venue nine years previously.
Beirne’s sanction was subsequently rescinded on appeal.
“Obviously it wasn’t what we wanted. We went there with a plan, but we obviously didn’t execute it,” said Kelleher.
“It was more us not doing our jobs to the best of our ability really and on the day, we weren’t good enough.
“I think it just came down to our execution on the day. We just got it wrong at times.”
Kelleher, who was called up to the British and Irish Lions squad in July, added that it was “particularly disappointing” to concede those three late tries after he had come on as a replacement for fellow Leinster player Dan Sheehan just after the hour mark.
“I came off the bench but it was difficult out there, we just didn’t get our dead stops. We didn’t manage to do what we said we were going to do, which was get two-man shots, slow up their breakdown with dominant collisions and we didn’t manage to do that.
“Then when they managed to get a bit of momentum on us, they managed to keep the foot on the throat and we couldn’t wrestle that momentum back.
“I think ultimately we have to take the learnings from the game and make sure we improve from here on in. We weren’t good enough for large parts, so I think it’s just back to the drawing board really.
“It’s up to each player individually to make sure that they’re doing the bit of extras, whatever needs to be done.”
Welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where we’re likely standing at an airport as you read this.
The NBA schedule is in full swing. The chaos JJ Redick mentioned at the beginning of the season has arrived. The Lakers played a game with seven standard contract players. Austin Reaves went on a heater for the ages, scoring 51 points in a game, 41 in the next, then hitting the game-winner in the one after that. Nick Smith Jr. threw up in the hallway at Moda Center then dropped 25 on the Portland Trail Blazers.
But through it all, the Lakers are crediting their 6-2 start to something that can’t be measured in the box score.
All things Lakers, all the time.
‘Play Laker basketball’
There seems to be an advanced statistic for everything now. As a math person, I wholeheartedly embrace the nerdification of sports. But the thing Redick preaches most to his team is something that can’t be quantified.
Just “playing hard.”
It sounds simple, but, in fact, there is a way to do it wrong.
“That’s what we call ‘fake hustle,’” guard Marcus Smart said. “It’s all for the cameras. It’s all just to look good so you don’t get in trouble in the film room. But when you’re playing hard, you can feel it. You can feel the way you’re playing, you can feel the way the energy. Your body can feel it. Your mind can feel it. And you’d be surprised how the game turns out because of that.”
The Lakers’ early season commitment to simply playing hard has helped them weather injury storms and roster uncertainty. They’ve gone 3-1 in games without Luka Doncic. One of those victories was without Doncic and Austin Reaves, and all have been on the road. LeBron James hasn’t even played a minute this season.
“There’s certain things that we are doing right now that we did not do until mid-to-late January of last year,” Redick said before the Lakers’ game against Memphis.
Naturally, only hours after praising his team’s consistent competitiveness, Redick was frustrated with the effort in the second quarter against the Grizzlies. He called his players “zombies” as they let Memphis score 19 unanswered points in the second quarter.
So, no, things aren’t perfect yet.
But in a long season, with pieces that are still finding their way together, any early glimpse at some of those intangible, championship team qualities are meaningful. Redick lauded his team’s confidence, belief and connectivity in the win over Portland without Doncic or Reaves. Getting any or all of their stars back will change the complexion of what this team will ultimately achieve in April, May or — they hope — June, but the Lakers don’t want to it to affect what they do any given night.
“I think it all started in training camp, really just going as hard as we can, JJ not giving the crap who’s out there,” center Deandre Ayton said. “He wants to play Laker basketball.”
After the Lakers beat the Grizzlies, Smart gave the team a B+ in how hard it’s playing. But after Monday’s win in Portland in which Smith scored 25 points off the bench, Smart upgraded the rating to a B++.
So there’s still room to grow on this report card.
A new boss in town
New Lakers majority owner Mark Walter.
(Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
The Lakers officially have a new majority owner.
Mark Walter’s acquisition of the Lakers was unanimously approved by the NBA board of governors last Thursday. It was a monumental week for the billionaire. One day after the sale went final, Walter hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy for the second time in as many years with the Dodgers, who won the World Series in epic Game 7 fashion. Then on Sunday, Walter was sitting courtside at Crypto.com Arena in a royal blue Dodgers jacket to watch the Lakers defeat the Heat. An arena employee shook Walter’s hand, presumably thanking him for bringing L.A. another championship and already dreaming about the next one that could come for the purple and gold.
Redick said he spoke briefly with Walter after the news and came away impressed with Walter’s enthusiasm to learn about a new league.
“Baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. It’s a different thing,” Redick said. “Daryl Morey said it best on a podcast a couple years ago. He said the NBA now is the equivalent of the Giants when Barry Bonds was in his prime, basically getting to bat every single time and not only that, getting to pick who pitches to him every single time. That’s what the NBA is. … The impact of star players, a guy like Luka, a guy like LeBron, a guy like AR, it’s just different than any other sport.”
Favorite thing I ate this week
Miso pork katsu sando from Tokyo Sando food cart in Portland.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
As my Uber driver dropped me off at my hotel in Portland, we drove by a collection of food trucks around the corner. He recommended that I make a stop for lunch. Little did he know, I had already scoped out the entire area, and I had my target locked.
The miso pork katsu sando from Tokyo Sando felt like culinary perfection after a chaotic back-to-back turnaround.
Match of the Day’s Gabby Logan, Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams dissect the reaction of Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven after their defeat by Chelsea.
Long Beach Poly, a 12-time Southern Section football champion, announced on Friday it will not participate in this season’s football playoffs despite finishing second in the Moore League. The school earlier this season had six transfer students declared ineligible for providing false information on paperwork to the Southern Section, a violation of CIF bylaw 202.
Here’s the statement from the Long Beach Unified School District:
“Long Beach Poly High School acknowledges the recent CIF ruling related to violations of CIF Bylaw 202 within its football program. In accordance with that ruling, and as part of an ongoing internal investigation, Poly will withdraw from postseason play.
“The school is fully cooperating with CIF and the District, as a thorough review of our processes and systems is conducted to ensure full compliance with CIF rules and District policy. While student and employee matters are confidential, our commitment remains to support our students while upholding the integrity of our athletic programs.”
San Juan Hills became the latest school to announce forfeits on Friday for using ineligible players. Two transfer students had been in the transfer portal listed as “under review.” The school will forfeit nine games and is now 1-9. Both players were held out of a game on Thursday.
This crackdown by the Southern Section against students providing false information started during the summer when schools began submitting transfer paperwork. The Southern Section is using new technological tools to verify information. Bishop Montgomery received the harshest punishment, with 24 players declared ineligible, forcing the school to cancel its football season.
Other schools found to have ineligible players this season include Long Beach Millikan, Compton, Bellflower, Victor Valley and Orange Lutheran.
