NBA: Lakers continue run, defeat Wizards for 10th straight win

Anthony Davis had 26 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in less than three quarters, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to their 10th consecutive win by crushing the visiting Washington Wizards 125-103 on Friday night.

LeBron James, who also rested in the fourth quarter, finished with 23 points and 11 assists for the Lakers, who captured their 17th win in 18 games. Their lone loss during the stretch was at home to the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 10.

Quinn Cook scored 17 points, while JaVale McGee added 15 and Rajon Rondo chipped in with 13. Danny Green added 11 for Los Angeles, which is 9-1 at home.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who entered the contest ranked fourth in the league in scoring at 28.9 per game, scored 18 points and recorded nine assists. Rui Hachimura had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards, who have dropped three of four. Ish Smith and Jordan McRae each scored 13 off the bench for Washington.

The Lakers started slow, trailing by as much as 11 in the first before blitzing the Wizards with a 29-6 burst for a 37-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. Davis scored 15 points in the first.

Davis, who scored a season-high 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, is averaging 28.2 points in his last five games.

The Lakers, who led by as much as 39, continued to dictate in the second quarter, outscoring the Wizards 33-26 for a 70-49 advantage at the break. It was the highest first-half scoring output for Los Angeles this season.

In the third, the Lakers continued to pour it on, using a 19-2 run to bury the Wizards.

The Lakers outshot the Wizards 51.7 percent to 39.6 percent from the floor. Los Angeles converted 14 of 32 3-pointers (43.8 percent) to 10 of 37 (27 percent) for Washington.

Washington entered the game tied with the Milwaukee Bucks as the league's highest-scoring teams at 119.4 points per outing.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers' Ingram on suspension: 'Better than we expected'

Los Angeles Lakers guard Brandon Ingram expected a worse penalty than the four-game suspension he reserved for igniting a brawl against the Houston Rockets.

Ingram, 21, spoke Monday for the first time since Saturday's melee, which began with his hard foul and shouting match against Rockets guard James Harden. 

Lakers guard Rajon Rondo and Rockets guard Chris Paul squared off, with video showing Rondo spitting in Paul's face. Ingram then jumped into the fray with a wild punch.

Ingram and Rondo will serve the first game of their suspensions Monday at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers will remain short-handed for their following contests against the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and a rematch with the Spurs on the road.

Ingram was banned for four games without pay, Rondo three games without pay and Paul two games without pay.

"Well, it was better than we expected," Ingram told reporters in comments published by ESPN. "I'm happy it's only four but I know I got to control my emotions a little better."

Rondo stayed tight-lipped when asked about the incident.

"It's best for me not to talk about the situation," Rondo said. "It is what it is. You guys see I have three games. I look forward to getting back and helping my team this weekend."

Rondo opted not to address his teammates about the sequence.

"Everyone knows who I am, my team," Rondo said. "And I think they still respect me for what I do and what I bring to this team."

Ingram said he did not regret standing up for his teammates.

"It's my full responsibility," Ingram said. "I think I'm the one that caused action and I'm going to take full responsibility for every action that I did. A hundred percent that I was wrong for my teammates, but I also stepped up for my teammates, and that is what I'm going to do 10 times out of 10."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Rondo dropped for one game after outburst

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo was hit with a one-game suspension on Monday following his angry on-court exchange with coach Jim Boylen, the team said Monday.

Rondo was involved in an acrimonious spat with associate head coach Boylen during and after the Bulls' 107-82 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said Rondo had been suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team" ahead of Monday's clash with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The decision was taken after a discussion between Rondo, 30, and Hoiberg on Sunday. Rondo apologized to coaching staff and team-mates following the meeting.

"Rajon will be suspended for tonight's game for conduct detrimental to the team," Hoiberg said Monday.

"He and I met (Sunday), had a good meeting. He'll meet us at the plane tonight; he'll be back in uniform (Tuesday) against Detroit and moving forward. As far as the details, I'm not going to get in the details of it. We're going to move past it, and again, he'll be back in uniform tomorrow."

Rondo joined the Bulls this year on a two-year deal worth $28 million after spending nine seasons with the Boston Celtics and last season with the Sacramento Kings.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Rondo leads Mavs in triumphant return to Boston

Rajon Rondo ran rampant in his return to Boston, scoring a season-high 29 points to help Dallas to a 119-101 victory over his former NBA team.

Traded from the Celtics just a fortnight earlier, Rondo received a warm welcome from fans in Boston, where he played a key role in the Celtics' 2008 title run.

The night was an emotional rollercoaster for the 28-year-old point guard, whose 15 first-quarter points included three three-pointers and perfect six-for-six shooting as he helped the Mavericks take a 31-17 lead.

He then was visibly moved when a video tribute to his eight-plus seasons in Boston prompted a standing ovation from the crowd between the first and second periods.

But on the floor nothing distracted him from the task at hand as he drained another three-pointer in a 7-3 Dallas scoring run to start the second frame.

The Mavericks led 59-46 at halftime and 92-64 after three quarters.

A 23-5 scoring run saw Boston pull within 97-87 midway through the fourth, but they didn't get the deficit below double digits the rest of the way.

Monta Ellis scored 22 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 16 rebounds for Dallas, who have won four straight.

They are now 5-2 since acquiring Rondo, who was dealt to the Mavericks in a four-player trade on December 18.

Rondo was the center of attention from the moment he arrived in Boston, and at Friday morning's shootaround he admitted it was a bit strange to be back as a visitor.

"It's obviously different being on this side," Rondo said. "But I left here on great terms. It'll be an exciting night."

Rondo, who was the last of the core group of players that led Boston to the 2008 crown after the departures of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, also expressed his gratitude that the rebuilding Celtics traded him to a team that he can help contend for a title.

"They put me in a situation where I can still excel and win a championship with this caliber team," Rondo said. "I'm grateful for that situation."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Rondo makes successful debut with Mavericks

DALLAS -- Rajon Rondo tallied six points and nine assists in his Dallas debut as he helped lead the Mavericks to a 99-93 win over the short-handed San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

The four-time all-star Rondo also had seven rebounds for the Mavericks who snapped a 10 game regular season losing streak to the reigning NBA champions.

Point guard Rondo was acquired from the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade two days ago in exchange for Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright and Jae Crowder, a first-round pick and a second-round pick.

Monta Ellis scored a game-high 38 points, Chandler Parsons added 16 points while Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris scored 13 points each as Dallas earned its third straight win.

Marco Belinelli led San Antonio with 21 points, Aron Baynes scored 16 with 10 rebounds and Cory Joseph and Matt Bonner each had 14 points.

The Spurs shot just 31 percent in the fourth quarter. They sat many of their top players Saturday after losing back-to-back triple-overtime games on Wednesday and Thursday.

Missing Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Tiago Splitter, San Antonio scored 30 points in the third quarter and had a 77-75 lead going into the fourth.

They have lost four in a row for the first time in almost four years.

The Spurs beat the Mavericks opening night in San Antonio and had won 10 straight regular-season meetings.

The Spurs eliminated the Mavericks in seven games during the first round of the 2013-14 playoffs.

Tony Parker (hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (hand) also didn't play for the Spurs.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Rondo leads Celtics past Magic

Celtics 96, Magic 89

Rajon Rondo played his best game since returning from knee surgery to lead the Boston Celtics to a victory over the Orlando Magic.

The talented point guard, who had been on the losing end in his first six games back, scored 19 points and added 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes. His time was cut short by second-half foul trouble, but he took over down the stretch.

Rondo, just 17-of-61 from the floor in his first six games, went 9-of-11 on Sunday, Jared Sullinger scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, forward Brandon Bass had 19 points and nine boards and guard Avery Bradley, back after missing five games with an ankle sprain, had 17 points.

Guard Arron Affalo led the Magic with 18 points, while center Nick Vucevic had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Celtics, who have six straight home wins over the Magic, ended a four-game losing streak and won for the fourth time in their last 23 games. Orlando has lost 16 of its last 19.

Rondo set up the first two baskets of the game and the Celtics got off to a quick 8-2 lead. The lead grew to 12 in the second quarter and the home team led by nine at the half.

(Editing by Jahmal Corner and Frank Pingue)

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