NBA: Caldwell-Pope re-signs for three years with Lakers

During the Los Angeles Lakers' run to the 2020 NBA title, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope emerged as their third-leading scorer and a fixture in their starting lineup.

Now they'll get to see if he can continue to thrive during their defense of their championship.

Caldwell-Pope and the Lakers agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract Saturday, Caldwell-Pope's agent Rich Paul confirmed to ESPN.

The 27-year-old Caldwell-Pope did not pick up his $8.5 million player option prior to the start of NBA free agency Friday, making him an unrestricted free agent. 

Re-signing Caldwell-Pope continued an offseason in flux for the defending champs, who traded Danny Green and lost Avery Bradley to free agency.

But in addition to bringing Caldwell-Pope back, the Lakers have acquired Dennis Schroder via trade and signed free agent Montrezl Harrell.

Anthony Davis didn't pick up his player option and ESPN has reported he's going to wait out the next week to weigh his options. He's expected to eventually sign a max deal with Los Angeles.

After averaging 9.3 points per game in 69 games (23 starts) in the regular season, Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.7 points per game in 21 playoff games (all starts), third behind Davis (27.7) and LeBron James (27.6). 

Caldwell-Pope shot 37.8 percent from behind the 3-point line during the postseason, and he poured in 17 points in 33:26 of action during the Lakers' title-clinching win over the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

During the regular season, Caldwell-Pope shot a career-best 38.5 percent from 3-point range.

The No. 8 pick in 2013 by the Detroit Pistons, Caldwell-Pope originally signed with the Lakers in July 2017. This is the third time he's re-signed with Los Angeles.

-reuters-

NBA: James, Lakers pull out tight win in Miami

LeBron James compiled 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds while leading the visiting Los Angeles Lakers to their sixth consecutive victory, a 113-110 decision over the Miami Heat on Friday night.

The Heat, trailing 112-110 with 8.1 seconds left, couldn't rebound a missed free throw by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. After another foul and one more Caldwell-Pope free throw, Miami's Jimmy Butler missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that could've forced overtime.

Anthony Davis also starred with a game-high 33 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Lakers, who earned their 13th consecutive road win.

Butler, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, had a team-high 23 points, but his Heat lost at home for the first time this season, falling to 11-1 at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami had won six of its previous seven games.

James, who leads the NBA in assists and is essentially Los Angeles' point guard at 6-feet-9 and 250 pounds, also committed eight turnovers in his return to Miami.

Before the game, he and retired star Chris Bosh shared an embrace. Bosh, who had a courtside seat, was one of James' teammates when the Heat won NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and reached the Finals in 2011 and 2014.

Before the game, Miami suspended guard Dion Waiters for the third time this season. Waiters, who is owed $24.7 million over this season and next, has yet to play in this campaign.

The Heat also were without starting forward Justise Winslow (back) and backup point guard Goran Dragic (groin).

Los Angeles was without forward Kyle Kuzma (left ankle) for a second straight game, but backup point guard Rajon Rondo (hamstring) returned after missing two consecutive contests. He had no points and four assists in 25 minutes.

There were five lead changes and four ties in a tight first quarter that finished with the Lakers on top, 30-29.

In the second quarter, Miami led by as many as 14 points before settling for a 59-51 advantage at the break.

Los Angeles went on a 20-4 run early in the third, taking a 71-65 lead. Davis had 12 points in the third and James added 10 as the Lakers built a slim 88-85 lead, setting up the final frantic minutes in the fourth.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Lakers complete home-and-home sweep of Thunder

Anthony Davis scored 33 points, including a 4-point play late in the fourth quarter, and LeBron James added 23 points and 14 assists as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers held off the Oklahoma City Thunder 130-127 on Friday.

It was the Lakers' second victory over the Thunder in a span of three days, as they earned a tightly contested 112-107 decision Tuesday at Los Angeles.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 17 points, and Danny Green added 14 as the Lakers won their sixth consecutive game and earned a 13th victory in their past 14 contests.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Steven Adams added 22 for the Thunder, who lost its third consecutive game and fell for the fifth time in their past six games.

Chris Paul added 18 points and seven assists for Oklahoma City, which tied a season high in points.

James has delivered double-digit assists in each of his past seven games, and he leads the league with an average of 11.3 assists per game. Davis was also in the giving mood.

His assist total was two short of his career high, and he also had 11 rebounds. The Lakers had a 45-37 rebounding advantage.

Paul made a layup with 11 seconds remaining to get the Thunder to within 126-125 before Anthony made a pair of free throws to put the Lakers up by three with 8.1 seconds remaining.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored inside with 4.2 seconds to go before two more free throws from Davis gave the Lakers another three-point lead. James then stole the Thunder's inbound pass to end the game.

Lakers guard Rajon Rondo notched his 7,000th career assist in the first half, but he was ejected with 10:20 remaining when he earned his second technical for a flagrant-2 foul when he lifted his right let into the groin area of Thunder guard Dennis Schroder.

On a night short on defense, both teams took advantage. The Lakers shot 51.1 percent from the field and 54.8 percent from 3-point range. The Thunder shot 52.7 percent from the field.

Known for their defense, the Lakers entered holding their opponents to 42.7 percent on the season, sixth best in the NBA.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LeBron hits scoring milestone as Lakers beat Blazers

LeBron James scored a season-high 44 points and passed Wilt Chamberlain for No. 5 on the all-time NBA scoring list while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 126-117 victory against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

James added 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Lakers earned their fourth win in a row.

JaVale McGee scored 20 points, Brandon Ingram had 17 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 off the bench for the Lakers, who ended a nine-game home losing streak to Portland.

Damian Lillard had 31 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists, CJ McCollum scored 23 points, and Jusuf Nurkic finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Trail Blazers.

With 3:55 left in the fourth quarter, James passed Chamberlain (31,419 points) on a three-point play, hitting a 12-foot jump shot and sinking the ensuing foul shot for a 121-106 Los Angeles lead. James now has 31,425 career points.

The Lakers trailed for most of the first half before scoring the final six points to take a 59-55 lead into the break. Los Angeles extended the run to 10-0 by scoring the first four points of the third quarter.

The Trail Blazers stayed within single digits and pulled as close as 82-80 on Nurkic's basket with 3:22 left in the third quarter, but the Lakers continued to push. A 3-pointer by Caldwell-Pope with 22.2 seconds left in the third gave the Los Angeles its first double-digit lead at 97-87.

The Lakers took a 97-89 lead into the fourth quarter, and that was as close as Portland would get after the Lakers opened with an 8-0 run.

The Trail Blazers shot 6-for-9 from 3-point distance in the opening quarter to take a 33-26 lead into the second.

Al-Farouq Aminu sank one of the 3-pointers to give Portland a 25-14 lead with 4:18 left in the opening quarter. Aminu made another with 6:29 to go in the first half to give the Trail Blazers their biggest lead of the night at 45-32.

Lonzo Ball made back-to-back 3-pointers to highlight an 8-0 run and get Los Angeles back within five, and the Lakers strung together another 7-0 run later in the second quarter to tie the score at 53-53.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers boast .500 record after win over Kings

The Los Angeles Lakers have a .500 record for the first time this season after a 101-86 win against the host Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

LeBron James scored 25 points for Los Angeles, which has won four of five and six of nine. The Lakers have another winnable game Sunday against the visiting Atlanta Hawks.

Brandon Ingram had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma scored 11 apiece for the Lakers. Tyson Chandler had a team-high 12 rebounds off the bench in his second game since joining the Lakers.

De'Aaron Fox scored 21 points to lead Sacramento. Marvin Bagley III had 13 points off the bench and Willie Cauley-Stein had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had won six of eight coming in.

Kuzma made a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second half to extend the lead to 53-44. Los Angeles missed its next seven shots, including three open 3-point attempts on one possession, which would have extended the lead back to double digits.

At the same time, the Kings went on a 7-0 run to get within 53-51 and they pulled as close as one point on two occasions before Lakers backup point guard Rajon Rondo capped a 10-0 run by hitting a wide-open 3-pointer for a 67-56 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

The Lakers took a 76-65 lead into the fourth and Lance Stephenson sank a 3-pointer off a loose ball on the first possession, extending the lead back to 14. They soon went up by 20 on Josh Hart's 3 with 8:01 left and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

The Lakers led by 16 midway through the second quarter before taking a 50-44 lead into the half.

James led the way with 15 points in the first half for the Lakers.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers rout Thunder for 4th straight win

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 points and Brandon Ingram added 19 as the Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 106-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Julius Randle added 17 points and Kyle Kuzma had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who have won four straight games and 12 of their past 16. Los Angeles limited the Thunder to 35 second-half points while winning its eighth consecutive home game.

Paul George had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Oklahoma City played without All-Star guard Russell Westbrook and forward Carmelo Anthony, with both players sidelined due to ankle injuries.

Los Angeles was without point guard Lonzo Ball (knee). The Lakers were also shorthanded via the trade of guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Channing Frye prior to Thursday's trading deadline.

"We know it's part of the business," Ingram said in a postgame interview on TNT. "The good thing is we are friends away from the basketball court and will always have a relationship. We know it's the business of basketball and I pray for the best on their journeys."

Los Angeles led by six points at halftime but doubled the margin to 12 as Ingram buried consecutive 3-pointers. Josh Hart followed with another 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 70-55 lead with 6:11 left in the third quarter.

The lead was 83-66 entering the fourth quarter and Los Angeles pounced with the first six points, capped by Corey Brewer's basket with 9:28 remaining. The Thunder were unable to make a run due to 5-of-17 shooting in the final quarter.

Steven Adams added 13 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, which shot just 35.6 percent from the field. The Thunder was 8 of 34 from 3-point range.

The Lakers shot 43.8 percent from the field and were 10 of 31 from 3-point range.

George scored 22 first-half points but the Thunder trailed 52-46 at the break.

Oklahoma City raced to an early 13-4 lead but Los Angeles recovered to take a 30-27 lead at the end of the quarter. Caldwell-Pope drained a 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 46-34 advantage with 4:56 left in the half before the Thunder whittled the margin to six.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Augustin powers Pistons over Wade-less Heat

DETROIT -- D.J. Augustin scored 25 points and added a season-high 13 assists Tuesday, sparking the Detroit Pistons over Miami 108-91 as Heat star Dwyane Wade missed his third consecutive game.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 18 points and Andre Drummond scored 14 and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who have won back-to-back games after a four-game losing streak.

Kyle Singler had 13 points, Greg Monroe added 12 and reserve Jodie Meeks had 10 for Detroit, which improved to 19-30, 2 1/2 games behind Miami (21-27) for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Despite a 34-point performance from Chris Bosh, the Heat never led after an 11-8 edge. Bosh went 9-for-9 in the third quarter, when he poured in 21 points.

Wade remains sidelined by a strained hamstring and could be sidelined for several weeks.

Britain's Luol Deng scored 10 points for the Heat while Hassan Whiteside, the 7-foot center who led Miami in scoring the past two games, contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com