NBA: Lakers’ Davis (ankle) out 2 weeks, report says

Lakers forward Anthony Davis is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks after sustaining a right ankle sprain in Los Angeles' 106-101 win against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, ESPN reported.

Per the Lakers, Davis underwent X-rays on Wednesday that revealed no fracture. He has an MRI scheduled for Thursday, and the team announced he will be re-evaluated after the upcoming All-Star break.

Davis was pulling down a rebound in the air when his right foot landed on the heel of Utah's Rudy Gobert. Davis' right ankle rolled, sending him immediately to the floor.

After a visit from team medical staff, Davis was helped off the court, unable to put weight on his right foot. He collected 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 17 minutes before leaving.

"Win games until we get him back," Lakers coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "It's that simple. We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We don't know obviously how long it will be, but we gotta win as many games as we can down the stretch and believe in the group that we have. And hopefully we're able to get whole as quickly as possible."

The Lakers (27-31) return to action on February 25 against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.

It has been an injury-plagued season for the 8-time All-Star, who had been listed as probable for Wednesday's game with a wrist injury. Davis had just returned January 23 from a 17-game absence because of a knee injury. He also missed significant time last season with separate calf and knee injuries.

Davis, 28, is averaging 23.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in 37 games this season. He has averaged 23.8 points and 10.2 rebounds in 601 career games (596 starts).

-reuters

NBA: Playing without LeBron James, Lakers still punish Kings

Anthony Davis scored 25 points, Malik Monk shot 6-of-10 from 3-point range en route to 22 points off the bench, and a Los Angeles Lakers team playing without LeBron James rode a big third quarter to a 117-92 defeat of the host Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Trailing 72-68 midway through the third quarter, Davis and Russell Westbrook ignited the first of two 12-0 runs that began in the period.

Davis scored six of the 12 points in the first burst, which lasted a little more than three minutes, while Westbrook added three points and assisted on a 3-pointer by Monk that capped the pivotal run.

Westbrook finished with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony then scored five of his 14 points off the bench to spark Los Angeles' second 12-0 run, which lasted into the early fourth quarter and pushed the Lakers' lead to 18 points.

The reserves came up big for Los Angeles and helped extend the lead to as many as 27 points in the final period. Dwight Howard added 12 to the Lakers' 58 total bench points, as well as a game-high 13 rebounds.

Bench contributions were timely with James scratched from the lineup late due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Sacramento, meanwhile, got just 20 points from its reserves - though the bench accounted for four of the team's six made 3-pointers. Davion Mitchell knocked down a pair en route to eight points, and he was the only Kings player to make more than one on a 6-of-29 collective shooting night from long range.

With outside shots not falling, Richaun Holmes and Chimezie Metu carried much of Sacramento's scoring load on the interior. Holmes shot 12-of-13 for a game-high 27 points, while Metu finished 7-of-10 for 14 points with 11 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox was Sacramento's only other scorer in double-figures with 17 points.

-reuters 

LeBron powers Lakers past Hawks

LOS ANGELES – LeBron James scored 33 points as the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 122-101 win over the struggling Atlanta Hawks at the Staples Center here Sunday (Monday, Manila time).

The Lakers jumped out to a 25-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

Rajon Rondo scored 15 points and Anthony Davis added 14 as the Lakers posted their 11th win in their last 12 games since a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Trae Young scored 31 points and Cam Reddish added 13 as the Hawks lost their third straight game.

Atlanta was blown out in Los Angeles for the second consecutive night after losing by 49 points to the Clippers.

Also, Denver's Jamal Murray scored 39 points and Paul Millsap added 23 to lead the Nuggets over host Memphis 131-114 for their fifth win in six road contests. Jaren Jackson led the Grizzlies with 22 points.

Tobias Harris scored 27 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures as the 76ers rolled to a 114-95 triumph at Cleveland.

Cameroon center Joel Embiid added 14 points for the 76ers and Australia's Ben Simmons had 10 points and 11 assists for Philadelphia. Collin Sexton led the Cavaliers with 17 points.


With Orlando clinging to a three-point lead, Magic guard Markelle Fultz made a steal and dunk then sank a free throw with 36 seconds remaining to lift the hosts over the Washington Wizards 125-121 in a matchup of struggling Eastern Conference clubs.

Montenegrin big man Nikola Vucevic led Orlando (6-7) with 30 points and 17 rebounds while Frenchman Evan Fournier had 25 points and Fultz had a 45-game career-high 19 points for the Magic, who ended a 4-1 homestand.

Bradley Beal scored 34 points to lead Washington (3-8) and crack the NBA career 10,000-point mark.

source: philstar.com

Raptors, Bucks, 76ers boost stock in East; Davis still in wait list

MANILA, Philippines — Toronto, Milwaukee and Philadelphia made their moves. Anthony Davis will have to wait until the summer for his.

The New Orleans Pelicans held onto Davis but dealt Nikola Mirotic to the Bucks, one of the Eastern Conference contenders who fortified their teams Thursday before the NBA trade deadline.

The Raptors are getting former All-Star center Marc Gasol from Memphis. The 76ers, a day after acquiring forward Tobias Harris from the Clippers, sent Markelle Fultz to Orlando and will hope Jonathan Simmons can provide some production where the former No. 1 pick couldn’t.


“Those teams were already really good. And the assumption would only be that they’d only benefit from those moves,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “It will be quite a challenge. As we knew it would be.”

A busy swap season that included Dallas’ acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis from New York ended without a move for Davis, the player who dominated the discussion in recent weeks. The Pelicans didn’t find a deal for Davis, who had requested a trade and informed the team he wouldn’t sign a contract extension this summer.

But the Lakers couldn’t put together a strong enough package to the Pelicans’ liking for the All-Star forward, who will go back into the trade market after the season ends. There will be other marquee names available then with a free agent class that could be highlighted by players such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard.

Boston didn’t jump into the trading deadline fray but may try to get involved in the summer.

For now, the Celtics appear to feel they have enough to win the East.

The other conference contenders looked for upgrades – and went out and got some that likely will fit well.       

source: philstar.com

Pelicans hold off huge Lakers rally for first win

LOS ANGELES — The New Orleans Pelicans were watching another double-digit lead evaporate, with the Los Angeles Lakers using a furious 27-4 run to take a five-point lead.

This time, the Pelicans were ready for the challenge.

They answered with an 11-0 run of their own to beat the Lakers 119-112 on Sunday night (Monday Manila time) for their first victory of the season.

"We have to stop letting off the gas when we have big leads," New Orleans center DeMarcus Cousins said. "This is something we've done the previous two games and we're trying to stop it on the fly."

The Pelicans (1-2) were able to ward off the challenge from the Lakers (1-2) behind 27 points and 17 rebounds from Anthony Davis, and 22 points and 11 rebounds from Cousins.

"We started off the game playing well," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, who earned his 400th career victory. "Then in the third quarter, our transition defense just wasn't good."

The Lakers' late rally was led by reserves. Jordan Clarkson topped Los Angeles with 24 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 20 points to match guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Lakers prized rookie Lonzo Ball struggled with his shot (3 of 13) and finished with just eight points, but did contribute 13 assists and eight rebounds.

"I like Lonzo's aggressiveness, he just didn't make shots," Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

The Lakers missed their first eight shots of the game, falling behind by double digits early. New Orleans went up by as many as 22 in the second quarter and was still ahead 94-74 when the Lakers went on their run.

Clarkson and Kuzma scored the last nine points of the third, and then with reserves Julius Randle and Josh Hart aiding the comeback, outscored the Pelicans 18-4 to open the final period.

"We let them back in the game, and that's on us, but we kept fighting," Davis said.

New Orleans trailed 110-106 with 4:46 to play when it answered with its 11-0 run. E'Twaun Moore (19 points) and Cousins sparked the comeback, with Jameer Nelson — just signed Sunday — hitting a key 3-pointer.

"I think he already earned his contract," Gentry said. "He made the biggest shot of the night."

source: philstar.com