https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/nba-logos/lal.png

Lakers

With just days left until the 2024-25 NBA season tips off, the Eastern Conference teams are settled, prepped, and ready for action. The offseason moves are done, rosters are set, and almost everyone&rsquo;s locked in for what&rsquo;s shaping up to be an intense race. From title contenders to dark horses, the East is packed with teams ready to make noise. So, let&rsquo;s dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season&mdash;no fluff, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Knicks The Knicks made significant moves this offseason, adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while retaining key pieces like Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. With depth, defense, and firepower, they look primed for a deep playoff run. After a 50-win season in 2023-24, they now have realistic championship aspirations and could be the biggest threat to the Celtics in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Boston Celtics The defending champions kept their core intact, extending Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. With Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday leading a formidable lineup, the Celtics are aiming to repeat as NBA champions. Despite concerns about Al Horford&rsquo;s age and frontcourt health, Boston remains the favorite heading into the 2024-25 season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks didn&rsquo;t make major changes but added depth with Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Delon Wright. After an injury-plagued season from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee looks to bounce back under returning head coach Doc Rivers. With questions surrounding Lillard&rsquo;s form and Middleton&rsquo;s durability, the Bucks remain playoff contenders, but how far they go will depend on health and chemistry.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Philadelphia 76ers The 76ers had a big offseason, adding Paul George, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin to support Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Maxey&rsquo;s rise as a star solidifies Philly&rsquo;s title hopes, and Embiid&rsquo;s MVP-level play is crucial for their success. With an improved supporting cast, the Sixers could be serious challengers in the East, but Embiid&rsquo;s health remains the key.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cleveland Cavaliers After a solid 48-win season, the Cavs focused on continuity by keeping their core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. New coach Kenny Atkinson brings fresh leadership, and Cleveland hopes to build on last season&rsquo;s playoff run. With a healthier roster and improved coaching, the Cavs could reach 50 wins and challenge the top teams in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Pacers The Pacers had a quiet offseason but retained Pascal Siakam and made a key addition in James Wiseman. Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s breakout season makes Indiana a team to watch, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on their deep playoff run. With improved chemistry and young talent, Indiana could surprise as a top-five team in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Orlando Magic The Magic are banking on internal growth, led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. After winning 47 games and making the playoffs last season, they added veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for shooting and leadership. With a young core developing, Orlando could win 50 games if they continue their upward trend and improve their perimeter shooting.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Miami Heat The Heat had a quiet offseason, adding Alec Burks while re-signing key players like Bam Adebayo. With Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s future uncertain and health concerns for both Butler and Tyler Herro, Miami could face challenges in a competitive Eastern Conference. However, Adebayo&rsquo;s All-NBA-level play will keep them in the playoff hunt.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Hawks The Hawks overhauled their roster after a disappointing 36-46 season, headlined by trading Dejounte Murray and acquiring the No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher. With Trae Young remaining the focal point, the Hawks are banking on Risacher&rsquo;s development and contributions from new additions like Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels. This team looks poised to contend for a Play-In spot but lacks the co-star power needed for a deep playoff run.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Charlotte Hornets The Hornets enter the season with fresh energy, thanks to the hiring of new coach Charles Lee and the re-signing of Miles Bridges. With LaMelo Ball back healthy and Brandon Miller continuing to impress after an All-Rookie season, Charlotte&rsquo;s young core could surprise many. If Ball stays on the floor and their youth develops quickly, the Hornets might find themselves contending for a Play-In spot and shaking off years of underachievement.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Detroit Pistons The Pistons are looking to turn the page on a tough 2023-24 season and have made moves to fast-track their rebuild. With Cade Cunningham healthy, new leadership under J.B. Bickerstaff, and rookie Ron Holland adding spark, Detroit could outperform expectations. If Cunningham returns to form and the team gels quickly, don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Pistons emerge as a dark horse in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toronto Raptors The Raptors are in transition, keeping their young core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley intact. After a poor finish to last season, Toronto is betting on Barnes&rsquo; continued growth and the addition of Davion Mitchell to improve their fortunes. While their ceiling might be a Play-In appearance, the Raptors are hoping their trio can take a big step forward.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Bulls The Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, adding Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith to the mix. Zach LaVine&rsquo;s injury history remains a concern, but the Bulls are counting on Coby White&rsquo;s emergence and the potential of lottery pick Matas Buzelis. Chicago is likely to be a competitive team some nights, but they may struggle to rise above the Play-In threshold.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brooklyn Nets The Nets are entering a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker. With a young roster led by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, Brooklyn&rsquo;s focus is on player development. Ben Simmons remains a question mark, but the team&rsquo;s recent moves set them up for future success with significant draft assets. A playoff berth seems unlikely as they look to position themselves for a high draft pick.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Wizards The Wizards continue their rebuild with the addition of Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick. With Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey joining the squad, Washington hopes to see growth from young talents like Bilal Coulibaly. However, they&rsquo;re still far from playoff contention and will likely be looking at another lottery-bound season.</li>
</ol>

Let's dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season.

2024-2025 NBA Eastern Conference Power Rankings: A new number one arises at the top

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; When the Denver Nuggets faced the most crucial stretch of the biggest road game in franchise history, Nikola Jokic took over both on the floor and in the huddle.
The two-time MVP decided he would run a two-man, pick-and-roll offense with Jamal Murray late in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night, and Jokic came through with a 15-point fourth quarter. He also commanded his teammates to buckle down on defense against the Lakers, and the Nuggets responded by taking over the game on both ends.
&ldquo;Coach Jokic did a great job tonight,&rdquo; Denver coach Michael Malone said with a smile.
When told of his new job title, Jokic grimaced.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to be a coach,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s the worst job on the planet, for sure.&rdquo;
Jokic had simply done what was necessary &mdash; and that&rsquo;s the story of Denver&rsquo;s entire season.
Whenever a challenge arises, whether it&rsquo;s in the doldrums of a dominant regular season or in tough playoff matchups with the star-studded Suns and Lakers, Jokic and the Nuggets figure out a path around it, over it or through it to keep moving toward their goal.
That goal now is only five wins away, as Murray repeatedly pointed out after&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-2023-lakers-nuggets-e164ab7e5200562166975ec15e08a4a0">the Nuggets&rsquo; 119-108 victory in Game 3</a>. With one more win over LeBron James and the reeling Lakers on Monday night, Denver can secure its first trip to the NBA Finals in the franchise&rsquo;s 47 years in the league.
&ldquo;We know next game is going to be another test,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re going to come out more aggressive. (Anthony Davis) is going to be more aggressive. LeBron is going to be more aggressive, so the crowd is going to be more into it.&rdquo;
The Nuggets also can make another bit of history with a win in Game 4: Although this franchise has won 15 playoff series, Denver has never swept an opponent.
It&rsquo;s clear that this current version of the Nuggets is the best team in franchise history precisely because these players care only about team success. Denver has won five straight games while going 11-3 in the postseason, leaving no doubt about the identity of the NBA Finals favorite and the best team in a competitive conference.
While Jokic and Murray are stars, their supporting cast is the vital difference between the Nuggets and the NBA&rsquo;s other star-based teams. Personal stats, playing time and egos simply don&rsquo;t seem to matter to this group, according to its coaches and players.
&ldquo;I mean, I never doubted my team,&rdquo; Jokic said. &ldquo;We have some really good players that can step up in the right moment, and that&rsquo;s what we did.&rdquo;
Just don&rsquo;t tell the Nuggets they&rsquo;re the clear favorites to win it all: They still seem to be fueled by an underlying anger and an inferiority complex about their collective success, even after winning three Northwest Division titles and six playoff series (and counting) during five straight postseason appearances. Denver is the top seed in the West, yet seems to believe its success is a triumph over innumerable naysayers and stark odds.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re the underdogs,&rdquo; Denver&rsquo;s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope claimed. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t get enough credit for what we do.&rdquo;
That passion sometimes comes out in surprising ways, even during this dominant playoff series. Malone, who complained in Denver about his perception of national media narratives, took time out from praising his team after Game 3 to take a shot at Davis and the NBA officials, claiming the Lakers big man constantly violates defensive rules by &ldquo;playing free safety, sitting in the paint for eight seconds at a time.&rdquo;
Lakers coach Darvin Ham declined to counter Malone&rsquo;s criticism of Davis&rsquo; defense Sunday, saying only: &ldquo;I have a ton of respect for Mike, and his thoughts are his thoughts. His words are his words.&rdquo;
Instead, Ham got back to work after two hours of sleep focused on the first step in Los Angeles&rsquo; formidable task. Los Angeles had a lengthy film session to address the mistakes that have kept the Nuggets in control of the series.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got an opportunity, man,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;Everybody is counting us out. It&rsquo;s crazy. It&rsquo;s no different than what we&rsquo;ve been through all year. It&rsquo;s the uphill battle, and trying to solidify ourselves and re-establish what this culture is all about with the Laker organization. I think we&rsquo;ve done that, and we&rsquo;ve got an opportunity to take another step in the right direction come tomorrow.&rdquo;
The Lakers are on the ropes after their first three consecutive losses since early February, and perhaps the only element of encouragement is the fact that all three games were close late. Los Angeles had golden opportunities to win twice in Denver, and the Lakers rallied from 14 points down to take the lead early in the fourth quarter of Game 3 before Jokic ran over them.
The Lakers&rsquo; first home loss in nearly two months has left them requiring an unprecedented comeback to keep their season alive: All 149 teams that previously fell into an 0-3 hole in the NBA playoffs lost the series.
&ldquo;It ain&rsquo;t over until it&rsquo;s four games, and that&rsquo;s the best part about it,&rdquo; Lonnie Walker said. &ldquo;Kings don&rsquo;t look down when they&rsquo;ve got crowns on their head. You don&rsquo;t want that to fall. We&rsquo;re not over with. We&rsquo;re a whole bunch of kings over here. We&rsquo;re ready to eat. We&rsquo;re starving.&rdquo;

With one more win, the Denver Nuggets can secure their first trip to the NBA Finals in the franchise’s 47 years in the league.

One win from NBA Finals, Nuggets credit teamwork for playoff dominance

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Draymond Green loved Golden State&rsquo;s defensive energy against LeBron James and knows the Warriors must bring that same urgency back to Los Angeles with another chance to save this topsy-turvy season and defend their title.
They need the same focus again whether or not Lakers star Anthony Davis is clogging up the middle after he suffered a head injury in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry had 27 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the reigning champion Warriors staved off elimination by beating the Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.
The Warriors have rallied before with this core group on the big postseason stage, becoming the first defending champion to come back from 2-0 down to beat Sacramento in the first round.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re champions, so there&rsquo;s pressure every time you step on the floor,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;You go out there, you don&rsquo;t win people are ready to crush you. People forget about the things that you&rsquo;ve done in the past.&rdquo;
James had 25 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Davis added 23 points and nine rebounds but went to the locker room late after getting hit in the head by Kevon Looney as they fought for position in the paint on D&rsquo;Angelo Russell&rsquo;s layup with 7:43 remaining.
Davis grabbed at his head grimacing before going to the locker room. His status for Game 6 on Friday night back in Los Angeles is unclear but coach Darivn Ham was encouraged afterward without providing details on what evaluation &mdash; such as concussion testing &mdash; the big man went through once in the locker room. TNT reported Davis required a wheelchair to go to the locker room.
&ldquo;Obviously, everyone saw he took a shot to the head, but we just checked in on him, he seems to be doing really good already,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s just where he&rsquo;s at. That&rsquo;s the status of it right now.&rdquo;
Austin Reaves made a 3-pointer with 5:25 to play that cut the Warriors&rsquo; lead to single digits at 104-95 only for Curry to answer with five straight points, then he hit another big shot after Russell connected from deep.
Green contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State played tough defense that led to better chances on the offensive end &mdash; just as coach Steve Kerr has challenged his team to to.
&ldquo;Our defensive mindfulness was there,&rdquo; Curry said.
Now, it&rsquo;s back to LA where the Lakers 5-0 at home this postseason, having won eight consecutive games on their own floor since losing to the Bulls on March 26.
Golden State is trying rally from a 3-1 series deficit for only the second time in franchise history and will try to win one more to bring Game 7 back to Chase Center on Sunday. The Warriors rallied from 3-1 down in the 2016 Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.
Curry beat the halftime buzzer with a 3-pointer over Lonnie Walker IV as the Warriors took a 70-59 lead. The 70 first-half points were the most Golden State in the playoffs since scoring 72 in a Game 6 first-round win over the Clippers in 2019. The last team to score 70 or more in a first half of a playoff game versus the Lakers was Phoenix with 71 in Game 4 of the 2000 second round.
Green and Wiggins took turns on James and Golden State tried to take Davis out of rhythm after he had 23 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two assists in Game 4.
Curry shot 12 for 24 but just 3 of 11 from long range coming off his third career playoff triple-double in a 104-101 Game 4 loss.
&ldquo;I have a lot of confidence we can come back in this series,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;And until otherwise, we stay in that kind of mindset.&rdquo;
LINEUP LOOK
The Warriors, who had used five lineup combinations in their initial 11 postseason games, stuck with Gary Payton II for the second straight game &mdash; and it paid off.
He scored 13 points and converted a timely three-point play with 7:34 remaining to go with six rebounds.
Jordan Poole came off the bench and hit his first 3 since Game 1 late in the second quarter after going 0 for 8 the previous three games.
Klay Thompson struggled again. He went 3 for 11 in Monday&rsquo;s loss to mark just the eighth time in his 150 postseason games that he scored in single digits &mdash; and three of the previous seven came before Kerr became coach in 2014.
On Thursday, he missed his initial four shots and 6 of his first seven to finish with 10 &mdash; but has a history of spectacular Game 6 performances and goes back to LA with a chance to shine.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles was outrebounded 18-17 in the first half and 48-38 overall. ... The Lakers scored 20 points off the Warriors&rsquo; 14 turnovers but committed 16 leading to 20 Warriors points. ... James has never squandered a 3-1 playoff series lead. ... The Lakers lost for only the six time since March 19 (17-6).
Warriors: Six Warriors accounted for seven first-quarter 3s after Golden State made only 12 total in Game 4 (12 of 41). ... Golden State is 16-4 in Game 5s and 8-2 when facing elimination dating to its 2015 title run, including 4-2 at home. In addition, the Warriors are 34-12 in postseason games following a loss.

The reigning champion Warriors staved off elimination by beating the Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Curry, Warriors stave off elimination, beat Lakers 121-106 in Game 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash;&nbsp;Lonnie Walker scored all of his 15 points in a phenomenal fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied late to take a 3-1 series lead with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Monday night.
LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who moved to the brink of an improbable trip to the Western Conference finals with their eighth consecutive home victory since March.
Los Angeles overcame Stephen Curry's third career postseason triple-double down the stretch largely because of Walker, who has made a seismic impact in returning to the Lakers' rotation in this series after the former starter was stuck on the bench in recent weeks.
Walker went 6 for 9 in the fourth quarter and hit the go-ahead jumper with 1:53 to play. Curry&rsquo;s layup with 1:05 left trimmed the Lakers&rsquo; lead to one point, but Curry missed a long jumper and a 3-point attempt on Golden State&rsquo;s next possession before Walker made two free throws with 15 seconds to play.
Davis then forced a jump ball in the waning seconds, and it went out of bounds off Curry with 1.3 seconds to play.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t win this game tonight without Lonnie Walker, that&rsquo;s for sure," James said. "As hard as this game was, it&rsquo;s going to be even harder. We understand that. We know that.&rdquo;
Curry had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in his 13th career triple-double for the defending champion Warriors, who will have to overcome a 3-1 series deficit for only the second time in franchise history to continue their NBA title defense. Golden State also did it in the 2016 Western Conference finals.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in San Francisco.
Gary Payton II scored a season-high 15 points in his first start of the season for Golden State, but Klay Thompson had his second straight quiet game in Los Angeles, scoring nine points in 41 minutes. Andrew Wiggins added 17 points for the Warriors, who made just 25 combined 3-pointers in their two games in Los Angeles after making 21 apiece in the first two games in San Francisco.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr switched to a three-guard starting lineup to affect the Los Angeles defense that held the Warriors to 97 points in Game 3, and the changes largely worked: Davis, who blocked 11 shots in the first three games, wasn&rsquo;t able to protect the rim with the same ferocity when his defensive matchups required him to go out to the perimeter, and the Warriors capitalized with 52 points in the paint.
The Lakers compensated: They made all 20 of their free throws, and Austin Reaves added 21 points.
But they won with a gritty, timely effort by Walker, who picked up the Lakers&rsquo; slack when D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored just four points on 1-for-10 shooting after a strong performance in Game 3.
Curry secured the 13th triple-double of his career early in the fourth quarter, adding it to his postseason triple-doubles in the 2017 NBA Finals and again in 2019. But he missed nine of 10 3-point attempts spanning three quarters, and the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history finished 3 for 14 from distance.
The rivals split the series&rsquo; first two games last week in the Bay Area, and the Lakers followed up their 27-point loss in Game 2 with a 30-point thrashing of the Warriors in Game 3. Both teams shot poorly to begin Game 4, but Curry&rsquo;s 17 points put Golden State ahead at the half.
The Warriors minimized Davis&rsquo; impact on defense after he dominated long stretches of the Lakers&rsquo; first nine playoff games this spring. After blocking 19 combined shots &mdash; 11 by Davis &mdash; in the first three games of this series, Los Angeles blocked just one shot in Game 4 &mdash; a majestic, swooping swat by James on a layup attempt by Curry in the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Payton&rsquo;s only previous NBA start this season was for Portland on Feb. 8. He started two playoff games for Golden State last year before signing a three-year deal in the summer with the Trail Blazers, who traded him back to the Warriors in February. Payton&rsquo;s return was slowed by a core muscle injury. ... Kevon Looney started Game 1 against Los Angeles, while JaMychal Green started Game 2 and Game 3. Lakers: In the first quarter, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar &mdash; who was courtside &mdash; for the most two-point baskets in NBA playoff history. Game 4 was James&rsquo; 276th career postseason game, while Abdul-Jabbar played in 237. James passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February. ... Jack Nicholson returned to his courtside seats for the second time in their last three home games. The Lakers&rsquo; 86-year-old superfan headlined another celebrity-studded crowd including Chris Pratt, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Dave Chappelle, Dustin Hoffman, Kim Kardashian, Colin Jost and Flea.

LeBron James and the Lakers rallied late to take a 3-1 series lead with a 104-101 victory over the Warriors in Game 4 on Monday night.

Lakers rally past Warriors 104-101, take 3-1 series lead

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Luke Kennard made a franchise-record 10 3-pointers to match his career high with 30 points, Desmond Bane added 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies clinched a playoff spot after building a 31-point halftime lead and coasting to a 151-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Ja Morant scored 18 points and had eight assists in his second game after serving an eight-game league-imposed suspension after he posted a video in which he is shown waving a gun at a Denver-area strip club. Morant, as he did in his first game back Wednesday also against the Rockets, again came off the bench. He entered with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
Jaren Jackson Jr. also scored 18 points and had seven rebounds and two blocks for Memphis, which made a franchise-best 25 3-pointers and had the second-most points in team history. The Grizzlies won their 11th straight at home and moved within three games of idle Denver, which holds the top spot in the Western Conference.
Tari Eason had 21 points to lead Houston, while Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr. each had 20.
CELTICS 120, PACERS 95
BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 34 points, setting a franchise record with his 40th 30-point game this season, and Boston rolled past Indiana.
Tatum passed Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who had 39 30-point games during the 1987-88 season.
Jaylen Brown added 27 points and seven rebounds, and Derrick White finished with 22 points and nine assists for the Celtics, who have won four of five and improved to 27-9 at home this season.
Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his first game back from a six-game absence with a combination of a bruised left knee and sprained right ankle. Myles Turner added 20 points and six rebounds.
LAKERS 116, THUNDER 111
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis had 37 points and 14 rebounds, Dennis Schr&ouml;der added 13 of his 21 points in the second half and the Los Angeles Lakers got a vital victory for their playoff hopes.
Lonnie Walker scored 20 points in an impressive return to the rotation for the Lakers, who have won three straight to move even with Minnesota in seventh place in the Western Conference standings. With Davis leading the way on both ends of the court, Los Angeles (37-37) also reached .500 for the first time this season after holding off the Thunder despite the injury absences of LeBron James and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey scored 27 points apiece for Oklahoma City, which lost for only the fourth time in 12 games down the stretch. The Thunder (36-38) dropped into a tie with Dallas for 10th in the West.
WARRIORS 120, 76ERS 112
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Jordan Poole scored 33 points and swished a key 3-pointer with 1:18 to play off a pretty pass by Draymond Green, Stephen Curry added 29 points and eight rebounds and Golden State rallied past Joel Embiid and Philadelphia.
Embiid checked back into the game with 8:26 left and scored 13 straight on the way to 46 points, but the Warriors came back from 11 down for their ninth straight home win &mdash; and one of the most important yet as they fight for playoff positioning.
Embiid shot 13 for 23, made 19 of 22 free throws and had nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. He helped Philadelphia take an 88-79 lead going into the fourth. He had his streak of scoring 30 or more points in a franchise-record 10 straight games snapped in Wednesday&rsquo;s 116-91 win at Chicago but made up for it.
WIZARDS 136, SPURS 124
WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Corey Kispert scored 26 points and sank six 3-pointers, Deni Avdija added 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Washington pulled away for a win over San Antonio.
Delon Wright added 24 points and Kristaps Porzingis 23 for the Wizards, who missed three-time All-Star Bradley Beal (left knee sprain) for a second game but snapped a four-game skid.
Washington sank 15 of 30 attempts beyond the arc one game after setting season lows for number and percentage of 3s made in Wednesday&rsquo;s loss to West-leading Denver.
Keldon Johnson scored 30 points for San Antonio, which played without 2022 ninth-overall draft pick Jeremy Sochan (sore right knee) for the third time in four games.
RAPTORS 118, PISTONS 97
TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 32 points, Chris Boucher had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Toronto routed Detroit for its eighth win in nine home games.
Fred VanVleet added 18 points and O.G. Anunoby 17 as Toronto completed its first four-game sweep of Detroit since the 2017-18 season. The Raptors also improved to 7-0 when holding opponents below 100 points
Jaden Ivey scored 20 points and Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman each had 14 for Detroit, but the Pistons lost for the 16th time in 17 games.
HORNETS 117, MAVERICKS 109
DALLAS (AP) &mdash; P.J. Washington Jr. scored 28 points and Gordon Hayward added 25 as undermanned Charlotte built a 21-point lead and held on to beat Dallas.
The Hornets, who were eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoff race last week, earned a split of a back-to-back after losing by 19 points on Thursday night at New Orleans and finishing with only seven healthy players.
Luka Doncic had 34 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, who lost their third straight and for the sixth time in eight games. Kyrie Irving scored 18 points after missing one game with a toe injury. He and Doncic played together for the first time since March 8. The Mavericks are 3-7 with both in the lineup.
BUCKS 144, JAZZ 116
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Grayson Allen scored a season-high 25 points to lead Milwaukee past Utah.
Allen made five 3-pointers and shot 57% from the field to help the Bucks lead wire-to-wire. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 11 assists, and Pat Connaughton scored 22 points while making six 3-pointers. Jrue Holiday added 18 points and seven assists, and Brook Lopez had 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks.
Milwaukee made 22 3-pointers and shot 56% from the field to fuel its third straight victory.
Simone Fontecchio scored a career-high 26 points in his third career start to lead the Jazz.
BULLS 124, TRAIL BLAZERS 96
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Zach LaVine scored 33 points and Chicago dominated short-handed Portland.
Nikola Vucevic added 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulls, who have won six of their last eight games and sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings with nine regular-season games remaining.
Portland, which has lost seven of its last eight games, was led by rookie Shaedon Sharpe, who matched his career high with 24 points. The Blazers&rsquo; lone win during the recent stretch came against the Utah Jazz 127-115 on Wednesday. Portland was at 13th in the Western Conference standings, well out of the playoff picture.
Regular Portland starters Damian Lillard (calf tightness), Jusuf Nurkic (sore right knee), Jerami Grant (quad contusion) and Anfernee Simons (sore right foot) did not play against the Bulls.
KINGS 135, SUNS 127
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Kevin Huerter led all scorers with 29 points and Sacramento beat Phoenix.
Huerter added nine rebounds and five assists for the Kings (44-29), who are in third place in the Western Conference behind Denver and Memphis. Domantas Sabonis finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Kings.
Sacramento&rsquo;s De&rsquo;Aaron Fox exited the game with 7:16 left in the third quarter with right hamstring soreness. Fox finished with 19 points in 21 minutes.
Devin Booker finished with 32 points for the Suns (38-36). Terrence Ross scored a season-high 30 points off the bench and hit six 3-pointers.

A recap of Friday night's slate of NBA action includes Memphis punching its ticket to the postseason.

Grizzlies earn playoff berth as Kennard makes 10 3-pointers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant scored 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter and added 10 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles 121-109 on Tuesday night in the Lakers&rsquo; first game since LeBron James injured his right foot.
Xavier Tillman finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane scored 16 points apiece.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 28 points and 19 rebounds, while Lonnie Walker IV scored 21 points. Austin Reaves had 17, while matching his season high with four 3-pointers.
Morant took over in the third quarter ,connecting on 10 of 12 shots. That broke open a close game and gave the Grizzlies a 93-84 advantage entering the fourth.
Memphis would click off eight straight points to take the first double-digit lead in the game as Brandon Clarke scored on a dunk off the Lakers&rsquo; 22nd turnover with 9:14 left. The lead would eventually reach 106-92 with about nine minutes left.
But using a 3-point shooting streak, the Lakers cut the Memphis lead to 110-106 on a three-point play by Davis. Memphis would answer by stretching the lead back to 118-106, enough to claim its second straight victory.
James&rsquo; injury, suffered in Sunday&rsquo;s win over Dallas, left the Lakers without their leading scorer at 29.7 points per game. They don&rsquo;t know how long he will be out.
Los Angeles shot 37% and Memphis 33% in the first half. The Grizzlies held a six-point lead, the biggest of the half for either team.
TIP-INS
Lakers: In addition to James, G D&rsquo;Angelo Russell missed his second game with a right ankle sprain. ...Recorded five blocks in the second quarter. .
Grizzlies: Morant was 3 of 14 in the first half, including missing all four 3-point attempts. ...Have won five straight at home and are 26-5 at FedExForum.
JAMES INJURY UPDATE
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said the team continues to evaluate the right-foot injury to James and he had no definite timetable for his return. But he said the team continues to strive for the postseason despite the injury. The Lakers are only a half-game out of the play-in game and 2 1/2 from sixth-place Dallas.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a huge blow to have LeBron injured,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to keep going, and it&rsquo;s full steam ahead with the goals we set for ourselves.&rdquo;
The Lakers coach added that the organization would not return James to action until he is cleared by the medical staff.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Play Wednesday at Oklahoma City
Grizzlies: Travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday.

Ja Morant had 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the L.A. Lakers 121-109 on Tuesday night.

Ja Morant’s third-quarter burst leads Grizzlies past Lakers

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; When LeBron James was pulling up his dribble to float an alley-oop pass to Anthony Davis, or diving into the stands in an attempt to regain the ball for the Lakers, he appeared far more concerned with immediate team goals than making NBA history.
Yet, after nearly 40 minutes on the court, James couldn&rsquo;t stop Los Angeles from losing ground in the standings, even as he gained on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s scoring mark.
James moved 36 points away from breaking the NBA career scoring record in the Lakers&rsquo; 131-126 loss to New Orleans on Saturday night that ended the Pelicans&rsquo; losing streak at 10 games.
&ldquo;I just want to win,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;You know, you play the game the right way and see what happens.&rdquo;
James had 27 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists as he continued to close in on Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record total of 38,387 points.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m tired as hell,&rdquo; James said, but added, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be ready to go on Tuesday,&rdquo; when the Lakers play next.
Brandon Ingram had his best game since returning 10 days earlier from a nearly two-month injury absence, scoring 35 points for the Pelicans on an array of drives and jumpers, sometimes in heavy traffic as he was fouled.
CJ McCollum had 23 points, highlighted by a late 3 to help New Orleans close out the final 3:14 on a 9-5 run that kept the Lakers at bay.
&ldquo;We just continued to attack across the board,&rdquo; said Pelicans coach Willie Green, whose team won for just the fourth time in 19 games. &ldquo;Every guy on our team that touched the floor came in and played with force and played with confidence. That is what is going to take for us to get over the hump.&rdquo;
Anthony Davis had 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers. They led by 12 when James&rsquo; finger role made it 84-72 in the third quarter.
The Pelicans chipped away and closed the period with five quick points on McCollum&rsquo;s transition floater and Jose Alvarado&rsquo;s 3 after he caught a deflected inbound pass.
That sequence cut the Lakers&rsquo; advantage to 106-103, and New Orleans surged in front when Trey Murphy hit back-to-back 3s, the second from 27 feet, to make it 114-108.
The game remained tight thereafter, but the Pelicans didn&rsquo;t allow Los Angeles to regain the lead.
Murphy finished with 21 points and Alvarado 18.
Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 14 rebounds for New Orleans but left late in the third quarter with a right knee injury and did not return.
Russell Westbrook scored 15 points but did not play during the final 11 minutes.
&ldquo;Whatever decision they make, that&rsquo;s up to them,&rdquo; Westbrook said, brushing off questions about the possibility of being shipped out of Los Angeles before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been all in since Day 1. I&rsquo;m very supportive of my teammates. I compete every night.
&ldquo;Whatever decision that they make, I&rsquo;ll make sure I&rsquo;m very professional like I always have been and always will be,&rdquo; Westbrook added.
James said trade deadline rumors should not distract the Lakers from what they need to do to win games.
&ldquo;It shouldn&rsquo;t be an issue. The trade deadline happens every single year,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;You go out and focus, no matter what happens. You&rsquo;re still a professional.&rdquo;
And while James said he didn&rsquo;t want to speak for the Lakers&rsquo; front office about possible trades, he didn&rsquo;t quibble with the notion that Kyrie Irving, who has requested a trade and won a title with James in Cleveland, could help the Lakers.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a &lsquo;duh&rsquo; question when talking about a player like that,&rdquo; James said.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Went 2-3 during their five-game road trip that concluded in New Orleans and came in 12-16 on the road overall. ... Davis was playing in his third straight game and for the fifth time in six games since missing 20 games with a right foot injury. He reached 20 points for the 26th time in 30 games played this season and 30 points for the 11th time. ... Got 43 bench points including 13 from Troy Brown Jr. and 11 from Lonnie Walker.
Pelicans: Larry Nance Jr. had 10 points and nine rebounds. ... Have given up at least 70 first-half points in two straight. ... Shot 52% (52 of 100) for the game despite going 9 of 30 from deep, missing 11 straight 3s during the first half.
WARM WELCOME
Fans cheered James during introductions and when he scored, particularly after his end-to-end transition dunk in the third quarter. In the fourth, when James dove into the stands chasing the ball, fans patted him on the back supportively as he lay across them and helped him up.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Pelicans: Host Sacramento on Sunday night.

LeBron James moved 36 points away from breaking the NBA scoring record in the Lakers’ 131-126 loss to New Orleans on Saturday night.

LeBron James closes in on NBA record, Lakers falls to Pelicans

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James hit a career-high nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points, but the Los Angeles Clippers hit 19 3-pointers of their own on the way to a comfortable 133-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
James scored at least 40 points against the Clippers for the first time in his 20-year career, giving him a 40-point game against all 30 teams in the NBA. James hit his record ninth 3-pointer with 6:45 to play, setting a career high from distance in his 1,404th game.
&ldquo;I was able to make a few shots tonight and try to help us stay in the game,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;But the Clippers, they are really good. Exceptionally good when they&rsquo;re shooting the 3-ball, and tonight they did that.&rdquo;
Indeed, James&rsquo; brilliance wasn&rsquo;t nearly enough: The Lakers never caught up after falling behind by 23 points, and James spent the final minutes on the bench after the Clippers pulled away for their 10th consecutive victory over their arena co-tenants in downtown Los Angeles since former Lakers guard Tyronn Lue became the Clippers&rsquo; coach.
James also ramped up his chase of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s career scoring record with his 101st 40-point game, including the postseason. He trails Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) by just 177 points, putting him in position to potentially break the record at the end of the Lakers&rsquo; upcoming five-game road swing instead of back home in Los Angeles.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to this place by not even thinking about it,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;Just being in the moment, trying to play the game the right way. Even tonight, as well as I shot the ball, I was still trying to distribute to my guys, to make sure they felt some type of rhythm. That&rsquo;s just always how I&rsquo;ve played the game.&rdquo;
Paul George had 27 points and nine rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard added 25 points in the Clippers&rsquo; third straight win overall. The Clippers never trailed largely because they hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in the first half while scoring a season-high 77 points in the first half.
&ldquo;(James) had a great shooting game, but we weathered the storm,&rdquo; Lue said. &ldquo;When they cut (the lead) to 10 and LeBron is on fire like that ... we just tried to take everyone else out and make him go one-on-one.&rdquo;
Norman Powell had 22 points and Reggie Jackson added 19 for the Clippers.
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-62 apnews_article_midarticle_2" data-card-id="sovrn-article-midarticle">
&ldquo;We were forcing them into really tough shots, and they were just making them,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;Against a great team like that, you&rsquo;ve got to play damn near perfect to overcome that deficit.&rdquo;
Russell Westbrook scored 17 points and Thomas Bryant added 15 for the Lakers, who could get Anthony Davis back Wednesday from his 20-game absence with a right foot injury.
&ldquo;The possibilities are limitless,&rdquo; Ham said with a grin.
HACHIMURA ARRIVES
Rui Hachimura sat on the Lakers&rsquo; bench in street clothes one day after they acquired him from Washington in a trade for Kendrick Nunn. The Japanese big man will in uniform Wednesday, Ham said.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Marcus Morris left the game with bruised ribs. Lue had no postgame update. ... John Wall missed his sixth straight game with an abdominal injury. ... Luke Kennard missed his ninth straight game with a calf injury.
Lakers: Guards Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves also are both close to returns from injury, Ham said. Reaves hasn&rsquo;t played since Jan. 4, and Walker has been out since Dec. 28. ... Westbrook scored his 24,000th point in the first quarter, becoming the 28th player in NBA history to hit the mark.
</div>

LeBron James hit a career-high nine 3-pointers but the Clippers hit 19 3-pointers on the way to a 133-115 victory over the Lakers.

LeBron scores 46 points with 9 3s, but Clippers rout Lakers

Looking back to the summer of 2022, it was deemed a foregone conclusion that the Los Angeles Lakers would trade Russell Westbrook before the 2022-23 NBA season began. The team had just missed the playoffs for the second time since LeBron James came to L.A., and the trio of Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis just wasn't clicking on the floor.
So rumors flew as to where Westbrook would be shipped off to and the price the Lakers would have to pay to jettison his bulky $47 million contract. Just before the season started, it looked like a deal was going to happen. According to reports, the Indiana Pacers were going to send Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to the Lakers for Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The Lakers even <a href="https://twitter.com/AnthonyIrwinLA/status/1572334141659828224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1572334141659828224%7Ctwgr%5E42d7893d3a33391e36a365478b2c60e8cb30e9d7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Flakers-news-darvin-ham-rob-pelinka-press-conference-canceled-fans-speculate-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed back a media session</a> with vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and new head coach Darvin Ham (perhaps because a deal was close?).
Then, it didn&rsquo;t happen.
Now, more than halfway into the season, the Lakers are struggling again with a 20-25 record and sitting at the No. 13 position in the Western Conference. Davis once again suffered an injury that has cost him a big chunk of the season, and the team is still dreadful at shooting from three-point range.
Which begs the question: Did the Lakers wait too long to make a move or is there still hope to improve this roster?
Hindsight is always 20/20. Still, it would have been a smart gamble to take on Turner and Hield, even at that high cost. Turner has blossomed, averaging career-highs in points (17.1) and rebounds (7.8) while still being a force defensively around the rim, ranking third in the league in blocks (2.4). Hield has always been a knockdown, volume shooter, connecting on 40.0% of his shots from three-point range in his career and he has upped that to 42.4% this season.
It's understandable that the Lakers are cautious about making any major moves following the Westbrook trade that gutted their roster of shooting and defense &mdash; both obvious needs. It hasn&rsquo;t totally backfired with Russ playing well in his role off the bench this season, but his bad decision-making and hero-ball ways in crunch time have cost the team at least a few wins.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Laker fans groan as Russel Westbrook isolates for 10 seconds and turns it over <a href="https://t.co/Q5ucNN84Mp">pic.twitter.com/Q5ucNN84Mp</a>
&mdash; hoops bot (@hoops_bot) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoops_bot/status/1615939443348865024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

As we&rsquo;re seeing it play out now, Westbrook's contract should have been used to acquire multiple role players before the season. Even if that meant trading both of those precious future first-round picks, they should've gone for it if the right deal was on the table. Indiana wasn&rsquo;t the only possible landing spot for Westbrook either, with Charlotte and San Antonio also showing some interest in the former MVP.
Imagine a Lakers squad that had proven role players to surround James and Davis. Well, we can. That&rsquo;s the 2020 championship team that included the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green. The formula is there, but the front office decided to blow it up.
Now the team has &mdash; again &mdash; banked on a roster filled with one-year players on prove-it, minimum-level deals. Sure, Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant have had moments, but both have come crashing down to earth over the past week. You can&rsquo;t depend on those players to put up reliable stats all season long.
Imagine this team with real depth and even a little bit more shooting. Some of those close losses &mdash; and there have been plenty of them &mdash; could have been wins. They can handle it better when Davis has to miss games due to injury. (Unfortunately, that&rsquo;s become a regular thing for him, especially over the past three seasons.) Maybe you could rest LeBron a little more and not put such a 36-minutes-per-game type of burden on his shoulders?
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
There&rsquo;s a lot of "coulda, shoulda, woulda" with this Lakers season. But somehow, it&rsquo;s not too late.&nbsp;
The Western Conference is still tight with only three-and-a-half games separating the No. 13 spot and the No. 5 spot. With this kind of parity, that means one good winning streak can bolt a team up the standings quickly.&nbsp;
LeBron is still playing at an incredible level. Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker &mdash; arguably the team&rsquo;s best role players &mdash; are close to a return after missing a few weeks. And Davis should be back before the end of January after being sidelined for over a month with a stress injury in his foot.
Their schedule is incredibly soft down the stretch. Starting March 1, 15 of their last 20 games are against teams that are currently at or below .500. &nbsp;There are plenty of wins available to make the playoffs. That should be the goal: get in the playoffs and see what happens.
But the team needs more. It&rsquo;s a seller&rsquo;s market with teams holding sky-high prices for players they're open to moving (you can thank Minnesota and the Rudy Gobert trade for that). Those demands should come down a little as the Feb. 9 trade deadline gets closer.
There are moves to be made for the Lakers.
Turner might not be available, but Hield could be, especially considering all of young, talented shooters the Pacers have. Take on Daniel Theis and his salary, and something could be there.
Giving up one of those aforementioned first-rounders to Detroit for Bojan Bogdanovic, who is having a career-year, and backup big Nerlens Noel? Sure.
What about a package from the Hornets including Terry Rozier and PJ Washington? Rozier is owed $48 million over the next two seasons, but that could help with the price of getting a deal done. (Plus, Charlotte is reportedly set on a rebuild, per The Athletic.)
Yes, it would mean the Lakers would be giving up their projected $30 million in cap space this offseason, but it would behoove the team to do something with Westbrook now, since he is on the books for $47 million &mdash; a net of $17 million more would be available to use for players that L.A. could lose come summertime.
The clock is ticking. The season is more than halfway over.
Does this Lakers front office want to bank on this current roster and risk missing the playoffs yet again, or will they dive into the deep end of the pool? Time will tell.

Brian Fritz explains that, in spite of the Lakers' inability to improve the roster over the summer, the team can still right the ship.

Despite an offseason failure, it's still not too late for the Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points, but Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-112 Sunday night for their seventh win in nine games.
Russell Westbrook failed to get off a clean shot or a pass in the final second under defense from Embiid, allowing the 76ers to hold on for their fourth straight road win. Westbrook claimed he was fouled by Embiid, who disagreed.
James put up 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the depleted Lakers, who have lost three straight after a five-game winning streak. James surpassed 38,000 points with a jumper that was part of his 8-for-9 start with 16 points in the first quarter.
&ldquo;It's just frustrating to get into those positions and not be able to come out with the victory,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;We got the stop, gave ourselves a chance to win, and didn't execute. ... We're playing good basketball. We're just not winning games.&rdquo;
James Harden added 24 points and 13 assists for Philadelphia, which swept the season series and beat Los Angeles for the sixth straight time.
&ldquo;Wasn't one of our better games, especially defensively,&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;We had no pace. We were tired. As a coach, you're saying, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s just get to the fourth quarter and see if we can win it.'&rdquo;
Georges Niang hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Embiid with 1:28 left to put Philadelphia up 111-109. A lengthy video review then overruled a call and resulted in a turnover for James before Embiid drained a 14-foot jumper with 45 seconds left.
Troy Brown Jr. hit a corner 3-pointer to trim Philly's lead to one point, and Embiid missed a jumper with Westbrook in his face.
The Lakers didn't called timeout as Westbrook drove to the hoop with a chance to win it. He couldn't get off a shot or a pass, with an apparent crosscourt pass attempt deflecting off Niang's hands before time ran out.
&ldquo;(Embiid) was grabbing my wrist,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;I couldn't get my hand up to shoot. ... Couldn't get the ball up. It's frustrating, but I know the game didn't come down to that one shot.&rdquo;
Embiid disagreed with Westbrook's claim about the final possession.
&ldquo;I don't think I fouled him,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;Physical play on both sides. You could've called a foul on the other end, too. He was unlucky because he lost the ball. I would say he was unlucky.&rdquo;
Westbrook had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, extending his NBA record with his 198th career triple-double. Westbrook has four triple-doubles off the bench this season, putting him past Detlef Schrempf for the career record for triple-doubles as a reserve.
38K
James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only members of the NBA&rsquo;s 38,000-point club, and James will pass Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) atop the career scoring list next month if he remains on his current pace. James didn't want to talk about the milestone afterward.
TIP-INS
76ers: Rivers used Embiid and the mildly ailing Harden (left heel) and Tobias Harris (left knee) even on the second night of a back-to-back that began in Utah. ... De'Anthony Melton, the San Fernando Valley native and USC product, went scoreless in 21 minutes.
Lakers: Anthony Davis has now been out for a month, missing his 15th straight game with a foot injury. ... The Lakers used their 24th different starting lineup this season. ... Patrick Beverley (illness) missed his second straight game. Lonnie Walker (knee) and Austin Reaves (hamstring) are still out.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-112.

LeBron hits 38K, but Embiid leads 76ers past Lakers 113-112

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic hit tying 3-pointers in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime, finishing with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists in the Dallas Mavericks' 119-115 double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Doncic highlighted his 56th career triple-double with that pair of clutch 3-pointers, hitting with six seconds left in regulation and again with 47.8 seconds to go in the first OT. Christian Wood added 24 points and 14 rebounds in the Mavs' fourth straight win over the Lakers.
&ldquo;We knew we weren&rsquo;t out of it,&rdquo; said Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 22 points and eight rebounds. &ldquo;Anytime you've got (No.) 77 on the floor, you know there's a chance.&rdquo;
Spencer Dinwiddie scored twice in a late 6-0 run to put it away in double OT for the Mavs, who won for only the second time in five games.
Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 28 points and LeBron James had 24 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who have lost two straight after a five-game winning streak.
&ldquo;We gave ourselves a chance to win,&rdquo; said James, who went 9 for 28 and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts. &ldquo;We just couldn't come through late in the game.&rdquo;
Los Angeles rallied all the way back from a 19-point regulation deficit and got to the brink of an unlikely win, but couldn't match Doncic's dramatic flair.
&ldquo;I'm more tired now,&rdquo; said Doncic, who rested for only 9 seconds in the final 40 minutes of play. &ldquo;I think I was good in the game with the energy. Now I need to rest.&rdquo;
The Lakers took a lead on Dennis Schr&ouml;der's layup with 1:31 left in regulation before Westbrook made two free throws with 11.8 seconds left for a 101-98 advantage. Doncic calmly moved past a perimeter screen and drilled a tying 3-pointer for his first field goal of the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;I was a little bit surprised (because) I thought they were going to foul, honestly,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;I tried to get it up before they fouled.&rdquo;
The Lakers had double-teamed Doncic throughout the fourth quarter except on that possession, and coach Darvin Ham said he wished he had instructed his Lakers to force another player to try the shot.
&ldquo;He made a tough shot, simple as that,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;You just move on. Find a way to execute better.&rdquo;
Troy Brown missed a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer, failing to get a foul call on what appeared to be clear contact from Hardaway.
The Lakers pressured Doncic again in the first overtime, and Westbrook was called for a flagrant foul midway through the period. James hit two free throws to put the Lakers up 108-105 late in the first overtime, but Doncic hit another tying 3-pointer, and Wood blocked James' layup attempt shortly before the buzzer.
Doncic then hit the go-ahead layup midway through the second overtime. The Lakers missed four of their final five shots and committed an offensive foul in the final two minutes.
James returned from a one-game absence with a sore left ankle, but the Lakers were still short-handed without Anthony Davis, Lonnie Walker, Austin Reaves and Patrick Beverley. The injuries forced Ham to use his 23rd different starting lineup in 42 games.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Dwight Powell played 18 minutes despite a bruised right hip. ... Davis Bertans got a technical foul from the bench in the second quarter for his apparently overzealous celebration of a layup by Wood.
Lakers: Brown returned from a three-game absence with a strained right quadriceps and scored eight points. ... Beverley was out with a non-COVID illness.

Luka Doncic hit tying 3-pointers in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime, in the Mavericks' 119-115 win over the Lakers.

Doncic hits 2 big 3-pointers, Mavs top Lakers 119-115 in 2OT

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic needed only five shots on his way to a league-leading 11th triple-double of the season. How's that for efficient.
&ldquo;A truly selfless superstar,&rdquo; Denver coach Michael Malone said.
Jokic finished with 14 points &mdash; a perfect 5 of 5 from the floor, 3 of 3 from the line &mdash; grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 16 assists as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109 on Monday night in a game where LeBron James sat out due to a sore left ankle.
&ldquo;I know a lot of players that if they took five shots in 35 minutes would be (mad) right now,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;Nikola doesn&rsquo;t care whether he takes five or 25. There&rsquo;s not many guys like him that I&rsquo;ve ever been around."
Count Lakers coach Darvin Ham as impressed. It marked the 12th triple-double in league history with five or fewer shots, according to the Nuggets.
"The way (Jokic) puts his fingerprints all over the game, that&rsquo;s a rarity, especially at his size,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s only a few of those guys in the league that&rsquo;s able to do that.&rdquo;
Jamal Murray added a season-high 34 points to help the Nuggets win their 11th straight home game. It&rsquo;s their longest home streak since capturing 12 in a row in 2018.
Denver remains tied with Memphis for the top spot in the Western Conference.
&ldquo;We did what we were supposed to do,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;The guys came to work with a work mindset. Everybody stepped up and did their job.&rdquo;
Russell Westbrook finished with 25 points despite dislocating his pinky finger &mdash; &ldquo;I put it back in, twice,&rdquo; he explained &mdash; and Thomas Bryant added 17 along with 10 boards for the Lakers, who saw their five-game winning streak halted.
James was ruled out hours before tipoff, joining injured forward Anthony Davis (right foot) on the bench. Patrick Beverley didn't play after halftime due to a hip injury.
The Lakers entered the game without Troy Brown Jr. (strained left quadriceps), Austin Reaves (strained hamstring strain) and Lonnie Walker IV (knee tendinitis).
&ldquo;Kudos to our guys &mdash; they kept fighting and just had a couple bad turnovers, couple balls that didn&rsquo;t go our way, couple shots didn't go down,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;The group that was out there, they were competitive, then gave it their all until we couldn&rsquo;t give anymore.&rdquo;
Leading by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets saw the Lakers make a mini-run. But Murray calmed things down with a 3-pointer.
Murray's scoring spree was another big step as the point guard rounds back into form from a torn ACL that caused him to miss all of last season.
&ldquo;I was just playing my game,&rdquo; Murray said of his performance that included five of the team's 15 3-pointers.
TIP-INS
Lakers: G Kendrick Nunn had 15 points. ... G Dennis Schroder was called for a technical in the third quarter.
Nuggets: F Zeke Nnaji turned 22 on Monday. ... The Nuggets were called for two delay of game technical fouls. ... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 16 points and Bruce Brown 15. ... It was Jokic's 87th career triple-double.
DAVIS UPDATE
The Lakers are starting the ramp-up process for Davis when they return home.
&ldquo;There are different benchmarks built within the process of the upcoming weeks and if he meets those marks and checks off those boxes, then he&rsquo;ll be back on the court,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;Am I willing to put a timetable on it? No.&rdquo;
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
James was named Western Conference player of the week Monday. He averaged 35 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists over his last three games.
The 38-year-old James is 35 points away from joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as members of the NBA&rsquo;s 38,000-point club.
&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and dished out 16 assists as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109.

Murray, Jokic lead charge as Nuggets beat Lakers 122-109

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 37 points, Dennis Schroder made two free throws with 3.6 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 136-134 on Saturday night for their fifth straight victory.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 34 points and nine assists for Sacramento. He missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer.
Schroder finished with 27 points to help the Lakers improve to 19-21 with their sixth victory in seven games.
James also had eight rebounds and seven assists. He drew Domantas Sabonis&rsquo; sixth foul with 48.1 seconds left and converted the shot and free throw to give the Lakers a one-point lead.
Thomas Bryant added 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers.
Sabonis had 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Harrison Barnes scored 18 points and Kevin Huerter had 17.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles ruled out G Lonnie Walker lV (left knee tendinitis), G Austin Reaves (left hamstring strain) and F Troy Brown Jr. (left quad strain) before the game. F Anthony Davis remains out with right foot soreness. &hellip; Lakers coach Darvin Ham received a technical foul with 11:03 left in the second quarter. &hellip;James got a technical foul with 6:26 left in the first half.
Kings: G Malik Monk was ruled out with a calf injury. Sacramento coach Mike Brown said pregame it was Brown&rsquo;s decision to sit Monk. &hellip; All five Kings starters scored in double-digits for the 13th time this season.
&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 37 points, Dennis Schroder added 27 and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 136-134.

LeBron James scores 37 points, Lakers beat Kings 136-134

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James had 25 points and 10 assists in his return from an illness, Russell Westbrook added 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-114 Friday night for their first four-game winning streak in just under a year.
Kendrick Nunn had 23 points in the highest-scoring performance of his tenure with the injury-depleted Lakers, who never trailed while beating the Hawks for the second time in eight days. Los Angeles won in Atlanta on Dec. 30 with James scoring 47 points on his 38th birthday.
The Lakers jumped to a 26-point lead in the first half of the rematch and hung on comfortably for their fifth win in six games overall. They hadn't won four straight since Jan. 7, 2022, when they also beat Atlanta in Los Angeles.
Thomas Bryant had 19 points and 13 rebounds for LA, while Dennis Schr&ouml;der scored 21.
&ldquo;There are going to be times where guys go down, unfortunately, and we have a group of guys that have just been preparing themselves for when it's their moment to play and play well,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;Seems like we've been hitting a good stride of figuring that out.&rdquo;
Trae Young scored 21 of his 32 points in the second half for the Hawks, who have lost five of six. Unable to overcome a dismal first half, Atlanta has lost two of three on its four-game California road trip.
&ldquo;We didn't do a good job stopping the ball (or) protecting the paint," Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said. &ldquo;We had some fight in the second half, but just too deep of a hole.&rdquo;
James returned to the Lakers' lineup after sitting out Wednesday's impressive victory over Miami with a bad cold, but Los Angeles played without Anthony Davis, Lonnie Walker, Troy Brown, Damian Jones and Austin Reaves, the newest addition to Los Angeles' long injury list with a strained left hamstring.
Coach Darvin Ham sees a bright side in Davis' latest lengthy injury absence for the healthy Lakers.
&ldquo;It's motivating them to step their games up,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;They know I'll put anybody out there, and if they're playing the right way, they'll play a significant amount of minutes.&rdquo;
Reaves and Walker, who has left knee tendinitis, are both out for at least two more weeks, depriving the Lakers (18-21) of two key rotational players as they attempt to keep up their overall solid play since a 2-10 start. Los Angeles used its 21st starting lineup of the 39-game season against Atlanta.
&ldquo;The Rubik's Cube was one of my favorite toys growing up,&rdquo; Ham said before the game. &ldquo;Coming in real handy right now.&rdquo;
After putting up 37 points in their highest-scoring first quarter of the year, the Lakers opened a 26-point lead in the second. Their 21-point halftime lead was also their largest of the season.
Young scored 17 points in the third quarter.
TIP-INS
Hawks: McMillan got a technical foul while Atlanta trailed by 13 with 4:10 to play for arguing a foul called on John Collins. ... Clint Capela missed his sixth straight game with a right calf strain.
Lakers: Sterling Brown played three minutes for LA about nine hours after signing a 10-day contract with the Lakers. He played under Ham while both were with the Bucks from 2018-20. Brown is the younger brother of Shannon Brown, who won NBA titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. ... Gail Goodrich was the honorary captain. The 79-year-old Los Angeles native and Hall of Famer played nine of his 14 NBA seasons with the Lakers.
&nbsp;

LeBron James had 25 points, Russell Westbrook added 18 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-114.

LeBron leads Lakers past Hawks 130-114 for 4th straight win

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Dennis Schr&ouml;der scored 14 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter and the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers improbably overcame LeBron James&rsquo; absence for a 112-109 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
Russell Westbrook had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who rallied from a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter and held off Miami without their top three scorers. James stayed home with a cold, while Anthony Davis and Lonnie Walker are injured.
Thomas Bryant added 21 points and nine rebounds, while Schr&ouml;der was brilliant down the stretch. The German point guard scored nine points in the final 2:35, and his 9-for-9 performance at the free throw line in the fourth quarter sealed the Lakers&rsquo; fourth victory in five games.
&ldquo;I've got to be more aggressive anyway, even when AD and Bron are coming back, to open up things for AD and Bron,&rdquo; Schr&ouml;der said. &ldquo;Hearing that Bron is sick and AD is out as well, everybody just gave a little bit more.&rdquo;
Schr&ouml;der rolled his ankle midway through the fourth quarter, and Lakers coach Darvin Ham intended to take him out of the game &mdash; but Schr&ouml;der's teammates said he insisted on staying in.
&ldquo;He didn't want to come out,&rdquo; Bryant said. &ldquo;He said, &lsquo;No. Let&rsquo;s be great.'&rdquo;
Bam Adebayo had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and Jimmy Butler had 27 before missing a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Heat, who lost for only the fourth time in 12 games.
&ldquo;They were rolling,&rdquo; said Kyle Lowry, who had 11 points. &ldquo;They were confident in what they were doing. We were a little bit of a step slow tonight.&rdquo;
One week after beating the Lakers in Miami and two days after rallying to beat the Clippers in Los Angeles, Miami blew a late lead and couldn't catch up to the Lakers' reserves and role players.
&ldquo;It's been extremely disappointing every time we get a little bit of footing on the season, and then we have a disappointing loss,&rdquo; Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. &ldquo;That's what this was tonight, but you have to credit the Lakers. They played with a great motor, with spirit with their guys out. We've had some wins like that as well, where we've had guys out and you can catch a team.&rdquo;
After trailing for much of the first three quarters, Miami appeared to be moving toward a victory before the Lakers made a 14-3 rally and eventually went up 102-96 on Schr&ouml;der's three consecutive free throws with 2:35 to play.
After Adebayo trimmed Los Angeles' lead to one point on a putback basket, Schr&ouml;der hit two free throws and then drove for a vicious layup with 20.3 seconds left for a 108-104 lead.
Adebayo got another putback with 15.4 seconds left, but Austin Reaves found Westbrook with a beautiful inbounds pass for a layup. Westbrook missed a free throw and Max Strus hit a 3-pointer with 4 seconds to play, but Schr&ouml;der hit two more free throws and Butler missed a tough 3-pointer.
&ldquo;Everybody just banded together and continued to fight, and that&rsquo;s what we have to be about," Ham said. "That&rsquo;s what our identity has to be.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Heat: The loss overshadowed a third straight 30-point game for Adebayo, who has hit 61% of his shots and grabbed 34 rebounds in that stretch. ... Dewayne Dedmon, the USC product from Lancaster, California, had two points in his return from a six-game absence with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. ... Tyler Herro had nine points on 4-of-14 shooting in his lowest-scoring game since Dec. 12.
Lakers: Walker missed his third straight game, but the team changed his injury designation from a tailbone contusion to left knee soreness. Ham said the soreness is &ldquo;normal&rdquo; for a player with Walker's explosiveness and leaping ability. ... Troy Brown Jr. missed the second half with a quadriceps strain. He had two points in 14 minutes.
&nbsp;

Dennis Schröder scored 32 points and the Lakers overcame LeBron James’ absence for a 112-109 victory over the Heat.

Schröder propels Lakers past Heat 112-109 without LeBron, AD

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored a season-high 47 points on his 38th birthday with many of the sellout crowd at State Farm Arena cheering his every move, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday night.
James, a four-time NBA MVP and an 18-time All-Star, finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists. He had 16 points in the second quarter, 13 in the third and 16 in the fourth. James began the game ranked ninth in scoring with a 27.8 average.
The Hawks (17-19), who have lost three in row, blew a 15-point lead but regained a 101-100 lead on Aaron Holiday&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 10:50 remaining. James hit a 3 from the right wing to make it 103-101 and Los Angeles never trailed again. The Lakers (15-21) went up 108-105 on James&rsquo; straightaway 3, and the Hawks called timeout.
The Lakers had lost nine of their last 13 but led 120-113 on James&rsquo; three-point play with 2:18 to go. Much of the crowd came to its feet roaring as he drew John Collins&rsquo; sixth foul and fell down as he hit a baseline layup. He hit the free throw and came back on the next possession with a reverse layup on the baseline that drew the crowd to its feet again.
Los Angeles led 126-119 on Thomas Bryant&rsquo;s layup with 55 seconds to go and was never threatened again. James ended it with a pair of free throws to make it 130-121 with the crowd chanting, &ldquo;MVP! MVP!&rdquo;
Bryant had 19 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook had 14 points and 11 assists.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 29 points and Dejounte Murray had 20.
Down by 15 in the second quarter, Los Angeles took an 82-81 lead late in the third on James&rsquo; fast-break lay-in. The Lakers were in the midst of a 17-4 run that ended with James&rsquo; three-point play and an 87-83 lead.
Young&rsquo;s three-point play late in the opening period gave the Hawks their first double-digit lead at 26-16. Young had 13 points in the first but he landed awkwardly while hitting a layup in traffic at the first-quarter buzzer, appearing to bump knees with another player. He returned at the 4:42 mark of the second and had 17 points at the half.
Los Angeles, which had 39 points in the second quarter, trailed by 15 in the period but entered intermission down 67-62.
James left the court after a TV interview and signed his jersey for rapper 2 Chainz before leaving the court to another standing ovation.
TIP-INS
Lakers: James&rsquo; previous season high was 39 points Nov. 26 at San Antonio. ... Coach Darvin Ham said Anthony Davis is &ldquo;trending in the right direction&rdquo; with his right foot stress injury and that &ldquo;the pain has just about dissipated.&rdquo; Davis, who&rsquo;s been sidelined for two weeks, told reporters before the game that he&rsquo;s &ldquo;feeling a lot better&rdquo; and that &ldquo;the pain has subsided tremendously.&rdquo; Davis isn&rsquo;t expected back until the second week of January. ... Austin Reaves started in place of Lonnie Walker IV (tailbone) and scored five points on 1 for 13 shooting.
Hawks: Clint Capela (right calf contusion) was out for the sixth time in the last seven games. Onyeka Okongwu started in his spot again and had 17 points. ... De&rsquo;Andre Hunter (left ankle sprain) missed his third straight game. ... The NBA fined Bogdan Bogdanovic $25,000 for kicking a ball into the stands following Wednesday&rsquo;s 108-107 home loss to Brooklyn.
&nbsp;

LeBron James scored a season-high 47 points on his 38th birthday and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-121.

James has season-high 47 on 38th birthday, Lakers beat Hawks

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double and the Los Angeles Lakers stopped a four-game slide, beating the Orlando Magic 129-110 on Tuesday night.
James also had seven rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes. The four-time NBA MVP had scored at least 30 points in each of his last seven games.
Thomas Bryant added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 54.4% from the field. Westbrook finished with 15 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in a reserve role.
Markelle Fultz led Orlando with 16 points. Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each had 15.
Magic rookie Paolo Banchero finished with four points and five fouls while spending most of his 22 minutes guarding James.
Orlando had won eight of nine.
Lonnie Walker IV scored eight points during a 10-1 run late in the first half that lifted the Lakers to a 16-point lead.
After missing their first five shots, the Lakers shot 24 for 40 (60%) for the remainder of the first half and led 65-55 at the break.
After Banchero and Mo Wagner got into foul trouble early in the fourth quarter, James scored 10 points &mdash; all inside &mdash; to help Los Angeles maintain its double-digit lead.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Averaging an NBA-low 10.15 3-pointers per game coming in, the Lakers made nine in the first half and 17 in the game. ... F Anthony Davis missed a sixth game with a right foot stress injury. He is expected to miss at least three more weeks. ... F Juan Toscano-Anderson missed a 10th game with a right ankle sprain, but coach Darvin Ham said he is &ldquo;extremely close&rdquo; to being activated.
Magic: The crowd of 19,482 was the largest ever for a Magic home game. ... G Jalen Suggs missed a 16th straight game with a sprained right ankle.
&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double and the Lakers beat the Magic 129-110.

James helps Lakers stop 4-game slide with win over Magic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Domantas Sabonis had 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 134-120 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Sabonis recorded his second triple-double of the season to go along with nine straight double-doubles and his NBA-leading 22 this year.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been rebounding the crap out of the ball,&rdquo; Kings coach Mike Brown said. &ldquo;Even if he didn&rsquo;t get stats, how hard that he plays is unbelievable.&rdquo;
All of Sacramento's starters scored in double figures. Rookie Keegan Murray matched his career high with 23 points. Kevin Huerter scored 26 points and Harrison Barnes added 20.
&ldquo;Today especially we just played desperate and I feel like our starting five did that very well,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;We just stuck together and went on runs and that was big for us."
LeBron James scored 31 points and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox added 22 points and six assists. Fox was ejected with 3:09 left in the game after receiving two technical fouls.
&ldquo;I'm going to show up to work and be ready to go,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;I'm going to lead the guys on the floor when I'm on the floor.&rdquo;
The Kings have consecutive wins over the Lakers in a season for the first time since 2015-16, when Sacramento won all four against Los Angeles. After an 0-4 start to the season, Sacramento has won 17 of 26.
The Kings trailed by one after the first quarter and used a 41-point outburst in the second and a 40-point effort in the third to take a lead. Sacramento, which lost its first game back home to Charlotte on Monday after a six-game trip, is in the midst of a six-game homestand to close out 2022.
James has scored 30 points or more in five straight games for the Lakers. All five Lakers starters scored in double-digits. Lonnie Walker lV scored 19 points, Dennis Schroder had 18 and Thomas Bryant added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
&ldquo;We have to be more competitive and give more effort,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;We will figure it out. That&rsquo;s why we have put together a great staff like we have done.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles ruled out G Russell Westbrook (left foot soreness), G Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain) and F Anthony Davis (right foot) before the game&hellip; Darvin Ham was given a technical foul with 7:38 left.
Kings: Sacramento went 17 for 31 from the line in a loss to Charlotte earlier this week. The Kings went 21 for 28 (75%) from line Wednesday&hellip; Sacramento improved to 5-0 when Murray scores 20 or more points.
&nbsp;

Domantas Sabonis had 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the Kings to a 134-120 win over the Lakers.

Sabonis leads balanced scoring as Kings beat Lakers 134-120

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2023, including several high-profile, first-time nominees including Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade and the 1976 U.S. Olympic Women&rsquo;s Basketball Team. &nbsp; A first look at the list of eligible nominees was provided by &ldquo;NBA Today&rdquo; on ESPN; the complete list of eligible candidates can be found below. &nbsp; Finalists from the North American and Women&rsquo;s committee for the Class of 2023 will be announced on February 17, at 5:30 p.m. ET in Salt Lake City, Utah, during NBA All-Star Weekend. &nbsp; The entire Class of 2023, including those selected by the direct-elect committees, will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in Houston, Texas, on April 1, in a nationally televised broadcast at 11 a.m. EST.
NORTH AMERICAN NOMINATIONS &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ken Anderson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Beilein (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Bess (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chauncey Billups (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Chambers (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Clougherty (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Michael Cooper (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Joey Crawford (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Curran (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mark Eaton (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cliff Ellis (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Michael Finley (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pau Gasol (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leonard Hamilton (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lou Henson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ed Hightower (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; David Hixon (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mark Jackson (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marques Johnson (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Keady (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Larranaga (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Maurice Lucas (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shawn Marion (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rollie Massimino (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Motta (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dirk Nowitzki (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jake O&rsquo;Donnell (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tony Parker (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Phelan (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gregg Popovich (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bo Ryan (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stan Spirou (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Reggie Theus (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dwyane Wade (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Buck Williams (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Williamson (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Paul Westhead (COA)
WOMEN&rsquo;S NOMINATIONS &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leta Andrews (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jennifer Azzi (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gary Blair (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Doug Bruno (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Becky Hammon (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Becky Martin (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Debbie Miller-Palmore (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kim Mulkey (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Valerie Still (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marian Washington (COA) &nbsp; INTERNATIONAL DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jackie Chazalon &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mirza Delibasic &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dusan Ivkovic &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Semen Khalipski &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Vladimir Kondrashin &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eduardo Lamas &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marcos Leite &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shimon Mirrahi &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Amaury Pasos &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Manuel Sainz &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Togo Soares &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ranko Zeravica &nbsp; WOMEN&rsquo;S VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1976 US Olympic Team (TEA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1982 Cheyney University NCAA Final Four Team (TEA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Alline Banks Sprouse (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Edmonton Commercial Grads (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Head (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Yolanda Laney (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Nashville Business College (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lometa Odom (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Harley Redin (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hazel Walker (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Valerie Walker (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dean Weese (COA)*
CONTRIBUTOR DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pete Babcock &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Baumgartner &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Henry Bibby &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marty Blake &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Vic Bubas &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Doug Collins &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wayne Duke &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Foster &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bob Gibbons &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Simon Gourdine &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tim Grgurich &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Junius Kellogg &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Johnny &ldquo;Red&rdquo; Kerr &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Konchalski &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bobby Lewis &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fred McCall &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack McCloskey &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jon McGlocklin &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Speedy Morris &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dennis Murphy &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Curly Neal &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Powers &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Will Robinson &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Shue &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Valvano &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Donnie Walsh &nbsp; VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1936 US Olympic Team (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1972 US Olympic Team (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Barnett (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Blackburn (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sid Borgia (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Brown (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Freddie Brown (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Coleman (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Eckman (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leroy Edwards (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leo Ferris (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hy Gotkin (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Travis Grant (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Hartman (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cam Henderson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Robert Hopkins (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Keinath (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Greg Kelser (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968, 1969 (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bob Love (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Loyola of Chicago (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Billy Markward (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ed McCluskey (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack McKinney (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Melchionni (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Francis Meehan (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lucias Mitchell (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Donald &ldquo;Dudey&rdquo; Moore (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Joe Mullaney (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Willie Naulls (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; North Catholic High School Junior Varsity (Philadelphia, PA) (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don Otten (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Philadelphia SPHAS (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kevin Porter (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Glenn Roberts (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lennie Rosenbluth (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kenny Sailors (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fred Schaus (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sam Schulman (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Paul Silas (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Van Arsdale (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Van Arsdale (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lambert Will (CONT)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Max Zaslofsky (PLA)

Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich and Dwyane Wade are among the candidates for the Basketball Hall of Fame.