Bronny James's cardiac arrest likely caused by heart defect: family

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James's teenage son Bronny's cardiac arrest last month was likely caused by a congenital heart defect, the family said in a statement on Friday.

Bronny James, 18, collapsed on court while training with his University of Southern California basketball teammates Los Angeles.

He was rushed to hospital but was discharged a few days later.

"After a comprehensive initial evaluation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center... the probable cause of Mr. James' sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has been identified.

"It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated," said the statement.

"We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future. We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family’s request for privacy," the statement concluded.

Bronny James committed to playing for the USC Trojans in May after becoming one of the top prospects in US high school basketball.

He crowned an outstanding senior year campaign at the exclusive Sierra Canyon school in Los Angeles with 15 points in an all-star game of top college candidates, sinking five 3-pointers.

His famous father -- the NBA's all-time leading scorer as well as a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player -- has long spoken of his desire to extend his career in order to play in the league with his son.

The statement comes days after LeBron and Bronny James accompanied rapper Drake to the stage during a concert at the Crypto.com Arena -- the same venue where the Lakers play -- then watched the show from VIP seats.

Agence France-Presse

All eyes on 'game-changer' Wembanyama at NBA Draft

NEW YORK -- A new era for basketball gets under way on Thursday when French prodigy Victor Wembanyama is set to be chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the top pick in the NBA Draft.

The annual ritual to allocate the top young talent entering the league is often accompanied by a swirl of intrigue over which player is likely to be selected No. 1 overall.

But that guessing game will be notably absent at Thursday's event in Brooklyn, with San Antonio's selection of the 19-year-old Wembanyama a mere formality.

The 7ft 4in (2.24m) French teenager is widely regarded as a transformational talent, a once-in-a-generation player regarded as the most sought-after No. 1 pick since LeBron James entered the league two decades ago.

Wild celebrations erupted among San Antonio's fans last month when the Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery to determine which team would own the No. 1 pick.

Spurs staff also struggled in vain to keep a lid on their excitement, with chairman Peter J. Holt admitting: "I might faint."

San Antonio general manager Brian Wright sees Wembanyama, who will be formally unveiled by the team in Texas on Saturday, as a "unique talent."

"People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it's bigger than that," Wright told ESPN.

"You see him doing things that you wouldn't even have guessed someone could do," Wright added.

With his potentially dominant blend of size and skill, Wembanyama has already drawn a legion of admirers across the NBA before even setting foot in the league.

LeBron James says Wembanyama's skillset makes him less a "unicorn" and "more like an alien."

"No one has ever seen someone as tall as he is and as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor," James said after watching Wembanyama play a game for French club Metropolitans 92 in Nevada last year. "He's for sure a generational talent."

- 'True game-changer' -

Wembanyama, meanwhile, has remained level-headed as the hype surrounding reaches stratospheric levels.

The teenager arrived in New Jersey on Monday for draft week to be greeted by fans clad in Spurs jerseys requesting autographs.

"I don't know how they knew what flight I was on," Wembanyama said.

"But you know, it's fun, it's different, seeing that you can have such impact on people."

If Wembanyama manages to live up to the hype, he could conceivably be one of the faces of the NBA for years to come, with the likes of stars such as James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant all well into the final phase of their playing careers.

"The league would love to have new stars that capture the imagination of America and the world," said Eric Pincus, an NBA writer for the Bleacher Report website. "Luka Doncic is a starting point, but the hope is Wembanyama will do the same."

NBA officials, meanwhile, say there is already evidence of a "Wembanyama effect", citing spikes on streaming platforms and social media.

"Victor is an incredibly promising young player who seemingly has all the attributes of a true game-changer," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said.

"We've already seen the enormous interest he has generated among NBA fans from streaming his games on the NBA App and featuring his highlights on NBA social media channels."

Unsurprisingly, Wembanyama's arrival in the NBA has sparked a commercial bonanza.

He is widely expected to sign a record-breaking, improved sponsorship deal with Nike that some analysts say could reach $100 million.

Other lucrative endorsement deals are also expected to follow, although Wembanyama has indicated that his priority remains on-court success.

"Victor is rejecting some rich million-dollar deals right now because he wants to focus on basketball," Wembanyama's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, said.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Lakers crush Grizzlies to advance

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers punched their ticket to the NBA Western Conference semi-finals in emphatic style Friday, mauling the Memphis Grizzlies 125-85 to win their first-round series 4-2.

LeBron James and the Lakers will have to wait to see who they'll face in the Western Conference semi-finals after the Sacramento Kings fended off elimination, beating the NBA champion Golden State Warriors 118-99 to force a game seven in their series.

The Lakers, who earned the Western Conference seventh seed via the play-in tournament, rebounded with a vengeance after failing to lock up the series in Memphis on Wednesday.

They dominated in every facet in one of their best performances of an often rocky season, thrilling a crowd at Crypto.com Arena that included 86-year-old Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson.

Nicholson, a Lakers fan for decades, was in his courtside seat for the first time since last season's opener in October 2021.

D'Angelo Russell led the Lakers with 31 points. James finished with 22 points and six assists, and Anthony Davis had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

After they "let one go" in Memphis, Davis said, the Lakers weren't about to miss another chance on their home floor.

"We came out with energy," Davis told ESPN in an on-court interview. "Our crowd was into it. We came out with a sense of urgency that we're not going to let them guys come in here and force a game seven.

"We just came out with that mindset of ending it today."

The Lakers dominated every facet. They outscored the Grizzlies 52-32 in the paint and 24-14 on the fast break.

They out-rebounded the Grizzlies 52-45 and had 20 second-chance points to Memphis' nine.

They held Morant to 10 points on three-of-16 shooting, with Santi Aldama leading the Grizzlies with 16 points off the bench.

Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane added 15.

The Lakers won a playoff series for the first time since winning the club's 17th NBA title in 2020, in the Covid-protective bubble in Florida.

They fell to Phoenix in the first round in 2021 and didn't make it to the playoffs last season. They hadn't won a playoff series outside the bubble since 2012.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Ja Morant keeps Grizzlies alive as Lakers beaten

MEMPHIS -- Ja Morant led a superb second half rally as the Memphis Grizzlies kept their NBA playoff campaign alive with a 116-99 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Memphis, down 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference series after defeat in game four, looked to be in control after opening up a 17-point lead in the first half in front of their raucous home fans at the FedEx Forum.

But the hosts appeared to be wobbling in the third quarter after the Lakers rallied at the start of the second half to close to within a point of Memphis at 75-74.

Yet that was the cue for Morant to lead a devastating 19-2 run to close the third quarter that effectively sealed victory for the Grizzlies, who led 94-76 heading into the fourth.

Morant finished with 31 points and 10 assists from 13-of-26 shooting while Desmond Bane led the Memphis scoring with 33 points.

Afterwards Morant said the Grizzlies had been inspired by their loud home crowd.

"This is our home floor, our home crowd and we feed off their energy. This is who we do it for," Morant said. "Coming out here and protecting home floor is something we take pride in and something we plan to continue to do."

The Lakers, meanwhile, were left chasing the game after a rare off night from James.

The Lakers superstar – the hero of Monday's epic game-four win in Los Angeles – finished with just 15 points from 5-of-17 shooting, with just one three-pointer from nine attempts.

With James struggling to get going, it was left to Anthony Davis to keep the Lakers in the hunt.

The Los Angeles center finished with 31 points and 19 rebounds.

Game 6 in the series will take place in Los Angeles on Friday.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: James, Lakers roll past Grizzlies

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers let their play answer the trash talking of Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, exploding out of the gate on the way to a playoff record-tying 35-9 first-quarter lead.

They led by as many as 29 in the second quarter as they rolled to a 111-101 victory.

Davis bounced back from a dismal showing in the Lakers' game two defeat to score 31 points and grab 17 rebounds.

He also had two steals and three blocked shots, while James added 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Brooks, who had mocked NBA all-time scoring leader James as "old" after game two, saying he was happy to "poke bears," let his animosity get too physical and was tossed early in the third quarter after hitting James in the groin with his arm -- a blow that sent James to the court in pain.

Brooks, booed every time he touched the ball, finished the night with seven points. Even a dazzling 45-point display from star guard Ja Morant -- back in action after missing game two with a right hand injury -- couldn't save the Grizzlies.

"I think we just came out and set the tone," Davis said. "We just want to take care of our home floor. We're not getting into the back and forth. We let our game speak for itself."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: James leads Lakers into playoffs after thriller

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 30 points as the Los Angeles Lakers muscled their way into the NBA playoffs on Tuesday with a thrilling come-from-behind 108-102 overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers clinched seventh seed and advanced to a Western Conference first-round playoff series against the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies starting on Sunday after a pulsating duel at the Crypto.com Arena.

The Timberwolves will have a second chance to reach the postseason when they face either New Orleans or Oklahoma City on Friday where the eighth seeding in the Western Conference will be up for grabs.

New Orleans and Oklahoma City face each other on Wednesday to determine who advances to that game.

"This is what our sport is all about -– getting to April and having an opportunity to play in the postseason," the 38-year-old James said after the win. "We've been battle-tested all year and since the All-Star break we've been playing some good basketball."

A nerve-jangling fourth quarter saw the Lakers battle back from a 10-point deficit to move to the brink of victory after James engineered a three-pointer for German international Dennis Schroder to put Los Angeles 98-95 ahead with just 1.4 seconds remaining.

But as the home crowd prepared to celebrate, Anthony Davis was called for a rash foul on Mike Conley as the Timberwolves veteran attempted a desperate game-tying late three.

Conley's effort missed but he duly stepped up to drain three free-throws under excruciating pressure to knot the game at 98-98 and force overtime.

Yet the Lakers regrouped to start overtime with a flurry of points, Rui Hachimura's three-pointer and a Schroder layup putting Los Angeles five points clear at 103-98.

The Lakers kept their noses in front and after a missed three-point attempt by Taurean Prince that could have tied it for Minnesota, the hosts closed out the win.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Lakers fall to Bulls in James' return, Cavs clinch playoff berth

LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.

As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams.

It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016.

James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot.

All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland.

James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor.

He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15.

But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East.

"They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough."

The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end.

They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota.

James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return.

"It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything."

Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs.

The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East.

- Morant leads Grizzlies -

Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.

Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games.

The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension.

After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: James vows to keep playing after 'surreal' scoring record

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James said Tuesday that he expected to extend his NBA career by at least two more years as he basked in the "surreal" achievement of becoming the league's all-time leading points scorer.

The 38-year-old Los Angeles Laker finally passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the top NBA scorer with a 38-point haul in his team's 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James finished the night with 38,390 career regular season points, three more than Abdul-Jabbar's tally of 38,387, a record that had stood since 1984.

The only question now is how much James will increase his record tally before he finally calls time on his career.

James said after his record-breaking night that he was in no mood to exit the stage just yet.

"I know I can play a couple more years," James told TNT television. "The way I'm feeling, the way my body's been reacting to me through this season. 

"I know I can play a couple more years -- it's all about my mind. If my mind is still into it, if I'm still motivated to go out and try to compete for championships, I feel like I can still do that. 

"If my mind is sharp and I feel motivated to prepare myself every single day then I can continue to play this game."

James, meanwhile, admitted he was still struggling to come to terms with finally eclipsing Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding record.

"It's so surreal," he said. "Because it's something I never made a goal of mine or set out to do, so I'm just happy.

"Longevity, being able to be out on the floor for three multiple franchises, trying to be the greatest I can be every single night, and having great teammates and coaches who allowed me to be me.

"I don't know if it's hit me. It hit me a little bit on the floor with my family after it happened. But it hasn't quite sunk in yet.

"To be able to play at this level 20 years in, to be at the apex of my game, it's a pretty surreal feeling. 

"Hopefully I can continue it, but at the end of the day it's just been a pleasure to be in this league for 20 years. 

"And for however long I'm able to go, it's been a hell of a ride."

Asked by television pundit and NBA great Shaquille O'Neal whether Tuesday's record meant he was now the greatest player in NBA history, James replied: "I'll let everybody else decide who that is. 

"But it's great barber shop talk."

Agence France-Presse

LeBron becomes first active NBA player worth $1 billion, according to Forbes

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has become the first active player in NBA history with a net worth of $1 billion, Forbes magazine reported on Thursday.

The 37-year-old forward, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, ranks second on the league's all-time scoring list and has played in the league since 2003.

In the Forbes list of highest-paid world athletes from May 2021 to May 2022, James ranked second in total income with $121.2 million, trailing only Argentine playmaker and Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi's $130 million.

The Lakers struggled to a 33-49 season and James missed the playoffs for only the fourth time in his career, but he still became the oldest player to average 30 points a game, hitting 30.3 per contest.

In a 19-year NBA career, James has made more than $385 million in salary alone as a player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers.

Off the court, James took a star turn in Hollywood with the film "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and sold a minority stake in his production company, SpringHill.

More than $500 million of his value comes from cash and investments.

James has an ownership stage in Fenway Sports Group, which owns English Premier League side Liverpool, Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox and made a deal to buy the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.

His stake in Blaze Pizza is estimated to be worth $30 million while his $80 million in real estate holdings includes a mansion in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and two homes in Los Angeles.

Agence France-Presse

Steph Curry dazzles with 16 3-pointers as Team LeBron wins All-Star Game

Stephen Curry scored 50 points and set an All-Star Game record with 16 3-point baskets to give Team LeBron a 163-160 victory over Team Durant on Sunday night in Cleveland.

Curry, playing for Team LeBron, shattered the former All-Star record of nine 3-pointers, set by Paul George in 2016. The Golden State Warriors' star fell two points shy of the scoring record set by Anthony Davis in 2017 but still took home MVP honors with his dazzling performance.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers had 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead Team Durant.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers hit the game-ending shot to reach the target score and give Team LeBron the victory.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks had 30 points and 12 rebounds for Team LeBron. James scored 24 points while playing in his 18th All-Star Game, one shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record.

Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns added 20 points for Team Durant.

The third quarter ended with Team Durant holding a 139-138 lead. That set the target winning score at 163 with the NBA adding 24 points to the leading total after three quarters. It is the third straight year the formula has been part of the game.

Curry's 16th 3-pointer gave Team LeBron a 144-139 lead. Embiid's three-point play later pulled Team Durant within 151-150 and then he sank two free throws to give his team a one-point lead.

Antetokounmpo later scored back-to-back baskets, James added a layup and DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls hit a turnaround to give Team LeBron a 161-155 lead. Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine scored five straight points for Team Durant before James drained the 17-foot fadeaway jumper that gave his team the required 163 points.

Curry attempted 27 3-pointers and was 17 of 30 overall from the field.

Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns played 2:19 for Team LeBron despite having a fractured right thumb that will sideline him for six to eight weeks. Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz missed the contest due to a non-COVID illness.

Also, injured Kevin Durant (knee) of the Brooklyn Nets didn't partake in the festivities due to the death of his grandmother earlier Sunday.

Between halves, members of the NBA's 75th anniversary team were honored.

When play resumed, Curry went into lava-hot mode and knocked down five 3-pointers in 128 seconds, including shots from 37 and 33 feet. His second 3-pointer during the stretch -- a 25-footer with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter -- was his 10th to break George's record.

Curry added two more 3-pointers later in the stanza to take a total of 15 into the final quarter. Both teams scored 45 points in the third period.

Curry had 24 first-half points on a record eight 3-pointers for a half, but Team LeBron trailed 94-93 at the break. Embiid had 17 first-half points to pace Team Durant.

-reuters-

LeBron James cleared to play after testing negative for COVID-19

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, placed in the NBA's health and safety protocol earlier this week after it was announced he had tested positive for COVID-19, has been cleared to return to action Friday.

After registering multiple negative tests for the virus, James was given the OK to play. He missed the Lakers' game Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings because he was in COVID protocol.

"James was originally placed in the Protocols on Tuesday, November 30 after a series of tests delivered conflicting results, including an initial positive test that was collected on November 29," a statement from the NBA said Thursday. "Additional testing confirmed that he is not a positive case."

The Athletic on Thursday quoted sources as saying James has had several negative tests since he returned to Los Angeles from Sacramento on Tuesday evening. The initial positive test turned out to be inconclusive upon being re-run.

The Lakers will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

In September, James said he received a vaccine for COVID despite being skeptical at first.

Vaccinated players still have to quarantine if they test positive, whether or not they show symptoms. Vaccinated players are not required to be quarantined for a close contact of a positive case, but they would then be tested for the coronavirus.

James has played in only 11 games this season due to an abdominal strain. He is averaging 25.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds a game.

-reuters-

NBA: LeBron James out indefinitely after injuring ankle

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sustained a right ankle injury early in the second quarter of Saturday's 99-94 loss to the visiting Atlanta Hawks.

ESPN reported that James has a high ankle sprain and is out indefinitely. A Lakers sideline reporter confirmed the report.

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player left the contest and postgame X-rays were negative. The team was waiting on MRI exam results, according to multiple reports.

Hawks forward Solomon Hill rolled into James' right ankle while chasing after a loose ball with 10:50 remaining in the second quarter. 

James let out a scream in frustration as he grimaced while rolling around on the floor.

"I haven't necessarily seen him scream and squall like that, probably ever, not even with that groin," Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma said, referencing an injury James sustained two seasons ago. "It had to hurt a little bit, for sure."

James, 36, was attended to by the team's training staff before returning to his feet. He stayed in the game and drained a 3-pointer to give him 10 points, extending his NBA-record run of double-digit scoring to 1,036 consecutive games.

But James soon called a timeout, left the floor and headed for the locker room. He knocked down a chair on the way. Fellow co-captain Anthony Davis went back to the locker room to check on James.

Coach Frank Vogel was tight-lipped about the situation following the game.

"The mood of the team is we're disappointed we lost, and we've got to come back and get one (Sunday)," Vogel said, looking toward a game against the host Phoenix Suns. "I won't disclose what LeBron was like (in the locker room). It's in-house."

James has missed just one game this season, a 123-120 loss to the Sacramento Kings on March 3 in the final game prior to the All-Star break. He sat out due to a lingering, mild left ankle sprain.

James is averaging 25.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists.

-reuters-

NBA Finals: LeBron, Davis spark memories of Kobe-Shaq Lakers pairing

LeBron James and Anthony Davis delivered a fearsome one-two punch for Los Angeles on Friday, sparking more memories of Lakers legends Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

James and Davis combined for 65 points in the Lakers' 124-114 victory over the Heat, which put Los Angeles halfway to victory in the best-of-7 championship series.

They're the first Lakers duo to score 60 points in a Finals game since O'Neal and Bryant achieved the feat in 2002 -- when they claimed a third straight title.

After O'Neal departed the Lakers -- his relationship with Bryant famously soured -- Bryant won two more titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

James, playing in his 10th title series and with championships with Miami and Cleveland on his resume, recalled watching the Kobe-Shaq pairing when he was a high school star.

"Obviously we knew the force that Shaq brought to the table, but the elegance and force that Kobe played with, as well," James said. "They were very dominant in what they did on the floor, on both sides of the floor. So to be in the conversation with those two guys, myself and AD -- is just very humbling, because I know I grew up watching those guys."

Any memory of Bryant has a special resonance for the Lakers this year. The club icon died in a January helicopter crash that also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people.

The Lakers wore their Bryant-inspired Black Mamba kit on Friday and remained unbeaten in four playoff games when wearing it.

James said that his and Davis's roles in the team can't be precisely compared to those of Shaq and Kobe.

"But I guess all four of us, we have a winning mentality," he said.

Davis agreed that any likeness was more to do with attitude than style of play.

"They both had a competitive spirit with themselves to will their teams to win," said Davis, who is in the championship series for the first time in his career.

"I think me and Bron are the same way. We are two guys who want to win no matter the circumstance. We both want to make sure that we do whatever it takes to help our team win."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Jealousy-free Lakers thriving with James-Davis double act

ORLANDO - LeBron James believes an absence of locker-room jealousy is the key to his successful partnership with Anthony Davis as the Los Angeles Lakers bear down on a record-equaling 17th NBA championship.

Davis joined the Lakers last year from the New Orleans Pelicans, and has played a crucial role in guiding the team back to the NBA Finals for the first time in 10 years after missing the playoffs in 2018-2019.

On Wednesday, Davis excelled with 34 points, nine rebounds and five assists as the Lakers demolished the Miami Heat 116-98 in a game-one blowout.

James, meanwhile, added 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in a dominant performance against his former team to open the best-of-seven series.

The James-Davis double act has provided the Lakers with the team's most potent axis since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were leading the team to three consecutive NBA titles between 2000 and 2002.

But while Bryant and O'Neal's relationship was undercut with tension, James says his partnership with Davis couldn't be more different.

"We're not jealous of each other," James said on Thursday. "I think that's the best thing. In professional sports, you have guys that join forces to become alpha males. That's what they call them.

"Two guys that have been dominant in a specific sport on their own respective teams, and they get together and they talk about how dominant they can be and they talk about this is going to be this and that.

'JEALOUSY CREEPS IN'

"I believe jealousy creeps in a lot. And that is the absolute contrary of what we are. We know who we are. We know what we're about. We want the best, seriously, every single day, both on and off the floor, for one another."

Davis, 27, agreed, saying he had never once considered the possibility that locker room envy could destabilize the Lakers locker room.

"The thought never crossed my mind when the trade happened," Davis said. "I'm not jealous of him. He's not jealous of me. I think it shows on the court.

"When you've got two guys who are very selfless and want to win as bad as both of us want to, the rest of it goes away and just takes care of itself."

Davis said a free flow of ideas and opinions characterized his partnership with James.

"We hold each other accountable," Davis said. "When we watch film or even during the course of a game, if I did something wrong, he tells me.

"If he does something wrong, I tell him. I think that's what makes it work, knowing that we trust one another to make reads, to make calls.

"We're able to talk to one another. Some guys on some teams are afraid to jump on the star player. Our team, a guy can tell a guy something, and we know it's coming from a great place and we know it's coming from a guy who wants to win.

Davis, however, does admit to envying James's three NBA championship rings.

"I want a ring, and he has three of them," Davis said. "That would be the one thing for sure that I would be jealous about... Hopefully I don't have to be envious of that much longer."

Agence France-Presse

James’ layup late lifts Lakers past Clippers, 103-101

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers showed some rust.

They knocked it off with time to spare.

Anthony Davis scored 34 points, James had the go-ahead basket with 12.8 seconds left and the Lakers moved closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs by topping the Los Angeles Clippers 103-101 on Thursday night in the second game of the NBA’s re-opening doubleheader.

James had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to help the Lakers move 6 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers in the West with seven games remaining. Kyle Kuzma added 16 points.

“It felt like a real game to me, two teams battling. ... Can’t complain for the first game,” Davis said.

Paul George had 30 points and Kawhi Leonard scored 28 for the Clippers, who had an 11-point lead midway through the third in a game with deep ebbs and flows. The Clippers got that lead after a 26-5 run; the Lakers immediately rebutted with a 36-14 run to reclaim control.

And it still came down to the final moments.

George’s 3-pointer with 1:50 left cut the Lakers’ lead to 99-98. James muscled his way to a layup on the next possession, and then George hit another 3 to tie the game at 101 with 29 seconds remaining.

James followed his own miss down the lane for the go-ahead basket, then was brilliant on the last defensive possession — forcing the ball out of Leonard’s hands and covering George as his 3-point try at the buzzer misfired.

“We can’t have self-inflicted wounds and I thought we had too many of them,” said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whose team — which remains short-handed with Lou Williams still in quarantine and Montrezl Harrell tending to a family matter — gave up 29 points off turnovers.

Thursday marked the NBA’s first game action in 141 days, the league getting back to work after the coronavirus pandemic forced a shutdown.

During the pandemic, a renewed discussion about racial injustice happened in this country — the conversation that surrounds this NBA restart. The courts have “Black Lives Matter” on them, and the Lakers and Clippers knelt together during the national anthem in a silent protest to demand equality. New Orleans and Utah did the same in the night’s opener.

James — who is going to win his first assist title — had five in the first quarter to get teammates going, and then his first basket of the restart came on a dunk early in the second quarter to put the Lakers up 37-24.

But for a stretch that basically spanned a full quarter, spanning the second and third periods, the Lakers couldn’t make a shot. They went 1 for 10 to end the half, then 0 for 9 to start the third and the Clippers took advantage.

They turned a 50-40 deficit into a 66-55 edge in the third. And then it was the Lakers’ turn to rally, slicing the Clippers’ lead to 77-76 going into the fourth.

“It was a good game,” Leonard said. “Still had fun out there. It was great to be back on the floor.”

TIP-INS

Clippers: The Clippers had won 11 of their last 12 games in the state of Florida. In both of those losses, Dion Waiters played for the winning side — the first being a game in Miami. ... Leonard was charged with two offensive fouls in the first quarter, the first time in his career that happened.

Lakers: The Lakers got to the 50-win mark for the 33rd time in franchise history, and this is the 12th time that James has helped a team get to that many wins in his 17 seasons. ... James’ 3-pointer with 8:30 left extended his NBA record of consecutive regular-season games with at least 10 points to 989.

CELEB ROW

NBA players are permitted to attend games in the bubble as fans — with their seats 6 feet apart to satisfy social distancing rules. Among those who attended: Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, San Antonio’s DeMar DeRozan and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry.

UP NEXT

Clippers: New Orleans on Saturday.

Lakers: Toronto on Saturday.

Associated Press

NBA: LeBron rookie card fetches record $1.8-M at auction

NEW YORK -- NBA superstar LeBron James is a record-setter in the memorabilia world as well as on the court.

A rare James trading card from his rookie season in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- one of only 23 manufactured -- sold for $1.8 million ($1.57 million euros) on Saturday, Goldin Auctions said.

James signed the card, which features a patch from one of his jerseys, and it was graded at 9.5 -- "Gem Mint condition" according to the auction house.

"The incomparable superstar has penned a vivid blue ink signature on the obverse of this ultra-premium collectible," Goldin Auctions said in the description of the item. "Its cardfront presentation also incorporates an exceptional, tri-color James-worn jersey patch relic."

Bidding began on the card at $150,000.

The Cavaliers selected the highly touted James with the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft.

The Akron, Ohio, native scored 25 points on 12-of-20 shooting with nine rebounds, six assists and four steals in his debut against the Sacramento Kings.

He posted 20.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds to win the Rookie of the Year award.

Now a 16-time All-Star, three-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, James was averaging 25.7 points per game, 10.6 assists and 7.9 rebounds when the NBA season was halted amid the coronavirus pandemic.

He has led the Lakers to first place in the Western Conference with the league preparing to resume action on July 31.

The previous record for most expensive modern day sports trading card belonged to Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout.

In May, one of Trout’s cards sold for $923,000.

Agence France-Presse

LeBron among NBA stars supporting ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James offered a tweet of support Sunday for ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, who has reportedly been suspended for a vulgar response to an email from a US senator.

James joined other NBA players in tweeting "#FreeWoj" on Sunday, two days after Wojnarowski himself posted an apology on Twitter for his comment to Missouri Senator Josh Hawley.


The New York Post reported that ESPN had called off their reporter's planned travel this week to the NBA's "bubble" site in Orlando, Florida, where they plan to resume the coronavirus-disrupted season at the end of the month.

The Washington Post reported that the suspension would last one to two weeks and Wojnarowski would travel to the bubble at a later date.

The trouble blew up on Friday, when Hawley wrote an open letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver in which the senator criticized the league's relationship with China and called on the league to allow players to put messages in support of the military, police and Hong Kong protestors on the backs of jerseys.

The letter came after the NBA announced it would allow players to put certain phrases on their uniforms in support of the Black Lives Matter movement when the season resumes.

Wojnarowski responded to the email press release that Hawley's office sent to him, writing "F--- you," but without barring out the expletive.

Hawley then shared that response on Twitter.

"I was disrespectful and I made a regrettable mistake," Wojnarowski said in a statement Friday. "I'm sorry for the way I handled myself and I am reaching out immediately to Senator Hawley to apologize directly.

"I also need to apologize to my ESPN colleagues because I know my actions were unacceptable and should not reflect on any of them."

ESPN said in its own statement Friday that the comments were "completely unacceptable behavior" and that they would address the matter internally.

Agence France-Presse

LeBron leads “Graduate Together”

In this screengrab, LeBron James speaks during ‘Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020,’ organized by the XQ Institute, The LeBron James Family Foundation, and The Entertainment Industry Foundation, on Saturday. Former US President Barack Obama joined LeBron James and other personalities during a virtual graduation honoring the graduates of 2020 who missed their respective ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic

news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: James, Lakers look their best in beating Bucks

LeBron James had 37 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 113-103 on Friday in a matchup of clubs with the NBA's best records.

Anthony Davis scored 25 of his 30 points in the second half for the Lakers, who won their third in a row and 10th in the past 11 contests. Davis also had nine rebounds. Kyle Kuzma added 11 points and eight rebounds.

James hit 12 of 21 shots from the floor but missed six of his seven 3-point attempts. He also had three steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who lost for the second time in three games. 

Donte DiVincenzo scored 17 off the bench while Brook Lopez contributed 13 points before fouling out with 1:11 left. 

Khris Middleton had an off night, scoring 12 points on 5-for-19 shooting. Eric Bledsoe finished with 11 points.

The Lakers held a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Bucks rallied. A turnaround jumper by Antetokounmpo pulled them within 105-99 with 2:33 to go, but a bucket and two foul shots by Davis put the Lakers up by 10 with 1:11 remaining.

After a Middleton jumper gave Milwaukee a 55-50 edge less than two minutes into the third quarter, Los Angeles launched an 18-0 run for a 68-55 advantage, capped by a Danny Green 3-pointer with 7:02 remaining. 

By the end of the third, the Lakers owned an 87-76 lead.

James had 14 points in the third.

The Bucks led by as much as nine in the first half before the Lakers forced a tie at 48 at the break. Davis was limited to 2-of-8 shooting in 10 first-half minutes due to foul trouble.

Overall, Milwaukee committed 20 turnovers to 16 for Los Angeles. The teams shot at nearly an identical rate, with the Lakers converting 41.8 percent to 41.6 percent for the Bucks.

Milwaukee point guard George Hill missed his second straight game due to a groin injury.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: LeBron scores 34 as Lakers defeat Pelicans

LeBron James had a triple-double as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of All-Star forward Anthony Davis and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 122-114 on Sunday night.

Davis, who averaged 36 points as the Lakers won the first three meetings with his former team, sat out because of knee soreness one night after a 105-88 loss at Memphis in which L.A. had a season-low point total.

James, who had 40 points in a 118-109 home victory against the Pelicans on Tuesday, finished with 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

Kyle Kuzma added 20 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13, and Danny Green, Avery Bradley and Markieff Morris had 10 each.

Rookie Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with a career-high 35 points, marking his 11th consecutive games with 20-plus points. Lonzo Ball scored 19, Brandon Ingram had 15 on 5-of-23 shooting, Derrick Favors had 12 points and 14 rebounds, Jrue Holiday scored 11 and Nicolo Melli added 10.

The Lakers led by two at halftime, but Green scored the team's first five points of the third quarter and the lead quickly grew to 77-68.

Williamson scored the first four points of a 9-0 run that pulled the Pelicans even.

The score was tied four more times before New Orleans took a 95-93 lead at the end of the third quarter.

James started the fourth-quarter with a jumper to tie the game before the Pelicans scored six straight points.

The Lakers answered with an 11-0 run as James had two baskets and assists on Kuzma's 3-pointer and Quinn Cook's jumper to make the score 106-101.

Williamson scored five points to help New Orleans pull even at 108.

Kuzma and James each made a 3-pointer to give L.A. a 116-111 lead with 2:27 remaining and the Pelicans scored just three points after that.

Ingram scored nine points and Josh Hart beat the quarter buzzer with a tip-in as New Orleans took a 33-29 lead at the end of the first period.

James had 11 of his 19 first-half points in the second quarter, making all five of his shots, including one 3-pointer, as L.A. edged in front 63-61 at halftime.

source: news.abs-cbn.com