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Luka Doncic was removed from the teamâ€s status report entering Sundayâ€s game at Philadelphia after the Lakers superstar and his fiancee announced the birth of their second child Saturday.

Doncic missed the last two games, but before Fridayâ€s game against Boston, coach JJ Redick was open to the possibility of him rejoining the team in time for Sundayâ€s road trip finale. The Lakers (16-6) went 1-1 to begin the trip with a thrilling, three-point win in Toronto on Thursday before getting blown out in Boston.

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LeBron James, who also missed Fridayâ€s game because of sciatica and joint arthritis in his left foot, is questionable to return Sunday. The 40-year-old has played in only six of the Lakers†22 games.

Guard Marcus Smart will miss a sixth consecutive game because of a left lumbar muscle strain.

Doncic, who shared a photo of his new daughter, Olivia, on social media, leads the NBA with 35.3 points per game. If he returns against the 76ers (13-9), the game will feature three of the leagueâ€s top five scorers.

Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey ranks third with 31.6 points per game and Lakers guard Austin Reaves is fifth with 29.3 points. Reaves†career season has helped the Lakers go 4-2 in games without Doncic, as Reaves is averaging 40 points per game without Doncic in the lineup.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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The good news – at least from a planning perspective – for Scotland supporters is that Group C is one of only two groups to be played in a single country (the USA).

Scotland begin their campaign against Haiti, either in Boston or New Jersey, while the follow-up against Morocco on 18 June will be in Philadelphia or Boston.

Their final group-stage fixture against Brazil will be in Atlanta or Miami on 24 June.

For now, England fans know their opener against Croatia on 17 June will either be staged in Toronto or Dallas, while the fixture against Ghana on 23 June will be in Toronto or Boston.

Their final group-stage match against Panama will be in New York or Philadelphia.

Group A: Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mexico City (Mexico), Atlanta (US)

Group B: Toronto, Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle (US)

Group C: Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia (US)

Group D: Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle (US)

Group E: Toronto (Canada), Houston, Kansas, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia (US)

Group F: Monterrey (Mexico), Dallas, Houston, Kansas (US)

Group G: Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, Seattle (US)

Group H: Guadalajara (Mexico), Atlanta, Houston, Miami (US)

Group I: Toronto (Canada), Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia (US)

Group J: Dallas, Kansas, San Francisco (US)

Group K: Guadalajara, Mexico City (Mexico), Atlanta, Houston, Miami (USA)

Group L: Toronto (Canada), Dallas, New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia (USA)

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Hunter Haight has been with the team for seven games. He has not played in any of those games. Sometimes having a young guy be with the team on the road trip or any game for that matter, can be a great thing for their development.

Haight, 21, was fantastic in training camp and in the preseason. He impressed the staff so much he made the team out of camp and started the season by playing in the first two games. He was then sent down.

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Since being called up, Haight was scratched for five games before he was sent down where he played in an AHL game with the Iowa Wild.

Minnesota called him back up for the road trip and he has been scratched for the last two games. The Wild’s fourth line is Liam Ohgren, Ben Jones and Tyler Pitlick.

The three of them have a combined zero points. Ohgren is a minus-3 in 15 games, Pitlick is a minus-2 in 17 games and Jones is a minus-5 in 15 games.

Jones, 26, is a seventh round draft pick and played in 26 games last year for Minnesota and didn’t record a point. He had three points last year all taken off because he ran into the goaltender and it was overturned for goalie interference.

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In 15 games this year and 43 in his NHL career over three seasons, Jones has zero points. Believe it or not, in 15 games this year Jones has not been on the ice for a single goal for. His expected goals numbers aren’t much better.

Jones’ on-ice expected goals is 31% which is the second worst on the Wild behind Ohgren. The line as a trio is tied for 22nd worst in the NHL for expected goals against per 60 minutes. They rank 262 out of 284 lines.

The trio ranks as the worst line in the NHL in expected goals for per 60 minutes. That is 284 out of 284. They have recorded 19 shots as a trio and have allowed 45. They rank dead last in Corsi For %. 284 out of 284. Do they allow shots?

You bet. 78.76 shots against (Corsi) per 60 minutes. Only three lines in the NHL have a worse rating. They also rank dead last in Fenwick and third to last in Fenwick against.

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What is Corsi and Fenwick?

Corsi counts all shot attempts, including shots on goal, missed shots, and blocked shots. Fenwick is a variation of Corsi that excludes blocked shots, counting only shots on goal, missed shots, and shots that hit the post.

So in conclusion, the data suggests they are one of the worst lines in the NHL when it comes to allowing offense and generating offense.

Meanwhile the Wild’s 47th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft is sitting in the press box and the Wild’s 19th overall pick from the same Draft is playing between two guys who have combined for zero points in 32 games.

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Haight scored 20 goals in his rookie season in the AHL. He scored a few in the preseason this year and impressed the Wild. Maybe not enough though considering Jones, Pitlick and Ohgren are still playing.

It doesn’t seem to matter what Ohgren or anyone else around him does. He will continue to be sheltered and play limited minutes. Almost every one of his goals and assists in his career have come when he was playing in the top-nine.

At some point, development has to come with opportunity. Whether or not you believe Haight earned his call-up and this opportunity to play, he is here and if the fourth line is going to get caved in every game, itâ€s hard to justify Haight watching it happen instead of getting those minutes himself to grow.

The Wild have nothing to lose by putting him in but everything to learn. The results below him arenâ€t changing, but at least he could learn something by being out there.

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All data from Money Puck.com.

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Evaluating The Fit: Should The Minnesota Wild Target Kiefer Sherwood?

Evaluating The Fit: Should The Minnesota Wild Target Kiefer Sherwood? The Minnesota Wild’s turnaround sparks trade talks. Could gritty winger Kiefer Sherwood’s physical game and scoring touch solidify their revamped middle-six?

– A Historic Start: Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt Joins Nearly Century-Old Company With Record Rookie Surge.

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– ‘That One’s Not Going Anywhere’: Inside Jesper Wallstedt’s Signature Win Celebration.

– Minnesota Wild Get Marco Rossi Injury Update, Timeline For Return.

– Kirill Kaprizov Becomes Fastest Player In Wild History To 200 Goals.

– Wild Will Commit To A Goalie Rotation Between Gustavsson and Wallstedt.

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There will be at least one change to the Australia team from first Test, after opener Usman Khawaja failed to recover from back spasms.

Leeds-born batter Josh Inglis is the most likely to come into the side, having trained as part of the Australia slip cordon.

Travis Head, who made a match-winning century in Perth after being promoted to open in place of Khawaja, will remain at the top of the order.

Inglis moved to Australia when he was 14 and made a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka this year.

The 30-year-old, who has three Test caps, made a hundred for a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions over the weekend of the first Test.

“He’s a pretty attacking batsman,” said Smith. “He did really well on his debut in Sri Lanka. He’s been in really good form and he plays fast bowling nicely. I’m sure he’ll do really well.”

The return of Cummins – one of the best fast bowlers in the world – would be a huge boost to an Australia team 1-0 up and with the chance to move a step closer to retaining the Ashes.

Only Mitchell Starc has taken more wickets in floodlit Tests than Cummins. Cummins has a better average, strike-rate and economy rate when bowling with a pink ball compared to the red.

In batting at number eight, Cummins will also boost an Australia batting order that included a long tail in Perth.

England, who have not won a Test in Australia in almost 15 years nor a match in Brisbane since 1986, confirmed their team on Tuesday.

Spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks has been included for his first Test in three years, replacing injured pace bowler Mark Wood.

With England identifying the need for a spin option, Jacks was chosen ahead of first-choice spinner Shoaib Bashir because of the runs he could provide at number eight.

“We tried to look at how we thought spin was going to be used and there was a bit of a tactical element to it,” said Stokes.

“Jacksy’s ability with the bat – to have that down the order for us is useful as well.

“If it ever comes down to picking our best spinner, selection would go the other way.”

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The 2025 offseason came and went without Ben Simmons finding a team. He now appears to have a destination very much in mind.

The former first overall NBA Draft pick saw his career hit a nadir last year with his release by the Brooklyn Nets and an unproductive stay with the Los Angeles Clippers. He remains a free agent, and indicated an interest in returning to the Philadelphia 76ers when he liked an Instagram comment saying he’d be a good fit for the team last week.

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He further demonstrated his interest on Tuesday, when he responded to a question about the Sixers by saying he’d play there for free, while alluding to other issues, such as his health.

The exchange:

If @sixers asked you back to play center / pf would you come back on minimum contract would you

Simmons: it aint about the $, id hoop there for free. Its deeper then what they make yâ€all believe which is why i keep it pushing 🤠rn the focus is gettin the body to 100% before putting my health on the line again… like i have been the past few years

So that’s what Simmons has been up to lately.

The 29-year-old’s career simply hasn’t been the same since a messy divorce from the Sixers that saw him hold out of training camp and preseason and accrue nearly $20 million in fines, which resulted in a grievance and settlement. Philadelphia eventually traded him and his nine-figure contract to Brooklyn, but he was then sidelined by surgery for a herniated disc in his back.

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Before the surgery, Simmons was offensively limited to his complete lack of shooting outside the paint, but still held value thanks to his passing, rebounding and first-team NBA All-Defense performance. Since the surgery, he has struggled to remain on the court and has seen his numbers crater across the board.

The idea of a healthy Simmons on a league-minimum contract — pretty much all he could get at this point — might hold some appeal for teams but, as the man himself said, he still actually has to reach 100 percent. And it seems doubtful the Sixers would be one of those teams, even with their own depth issues, considering the history there.

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Virat Kohli, left, and Rohit Sharma during the first ODI cricket match of series between India and South Africa, at JSCA International Stadium Complex, in Ranchi, Jharkhand. (PTI Photo) Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz said his team will be in a better position against India at the 2027 ODI World Cup if Indiaâ€s senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli do not play in the tournament. The 2027 World Cup will be held in South Africa. India finished as runners-up in the previous edition in 2023, held in India.Rohit and Kohli, who have already stepped away from Tests and T20Is, are still active in the ODI format. Both are currently involved in the three-match series against South Africa. In the opening ODI at Ranchi, Rohit scored a half-century while Kohli hit his 52nd ODI century, helping India secure a 17-run win and take a 1-0 lead.

Harshit Rana press conference: On social media trolls, outside noise, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

During an interview with Sports Tak, Gurbaz said other teams would feel more confident in the World Cup without the presence of these two experienced players in Indian, but he also admitted that their exclusion is not a realistic scenario.”As an Afghanistan player. I will be happy if they are not in the (Indian) team. Because if they are not in the (Indian) team, we will have more chance to win. They are legends,” Gurbaz said, adding, “There is no chance for someone to come and say that Virat shouldn’t be in the team and Rohit shouldn’t be in the team. If they’re not in the team, every team will be happy. So they are such big names and they are very good players,” Gurbaz told Sports Tak.Kohli has the most hundreds in ODI cricket, while Rohit is the leading six-hitter in the format.Both are set to play the second ODI against South Africa on December 3 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.

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For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros†offseason began in September, not October or November. Houstonâ€s streak of eight years qualifying for the playoffs was snapped, as the Astros were unable to overcome a barrage of injuries and ultimately found themselves on the outside looking in, ceding the division crown to Seattle. It was a close call — they missed out on the final AL wild-card spot via tiebreaker, as the Astros and Tigers both finished with 87 wins, but Detroit won the season series — but failing to reach the playoffs stings all the same, particularly for a franchise used to making the annual pilgrimage to baseballâ€s fall tournament.

That unfamiliar ending to the season brings us to a critical juncture for the Astros as they look to reassert themselves as contenders in 2026. Over the past two seasons, theyâ€ve fallen notably short of the sky-high standard set by their seven consecutive trips to the ALCS from 2017 to 2023. No longer can Houston rest on its reputation as a default contender in the American League; there is work to be done to rebuild or at least restructure the roster to a more formidable state.

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As the offseason activity picks up with the winter meetings fast approaching, here are five big questions facing the team from Space City.

1. What is the plan for replacing Framber Valdez, assuming he departs in free agency?

After a half-decade as an anchor at or near the top of Houstonâ€s rotation, the free-agent left-hander is widely expected to sign with a different team, becoming the latest main character from this era of Astros baseball to move on to a new chapter elsewhere. Houston has rarely shopped at the very top of the free-agent market, so the Astros retaining Valdez or pursuing another upper-echelon arm such as Dylan Cease never felt especially realistic (and the price for Cease only reinforced that notion). The Astros can certainly take solace in the sizable step forward taken by Hunter Brown in 2025 — an ace is still in place — but Valdezâ€s departure amplifies the uncertainties beyond Brown.

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Which free-agent arms could be a fit in Houston? Zac Gallen and Michael King both offer considerable upside and shouldnâ€t cost a nine-figure deal, but forfeiting a draft pick to sign either might not be of interest for a team with something of a depleted farm system. A more sensible tier of arms to target would be Lucas Giolito, Merrill Kelly or Chris Bassitt — durable right-handers who have demonstrated mid-rotation upside on occasion and at the very least can offer competent innings in bulk. Of course, if adding a veteran starter at a relatively low cost is the priority, it would hardly be surprising to see a reunion with Justin Verlander, who was quietly quite effective for the Giants in the second half after a rough start to his age-42 season.

Several intriguing internal options to backfill Valdezâ€s innings exist as well, albeit with varying levels of optimism based on their 2025 showings. Cristian Javier showed flashes of impact in his return from elbow surgery in the second half, but Lance McCullers Jr. was downright terrible in his return after several years of injuries and should not be counted on as a realistic option for in 2026. Spencer Arrighetti showed real strikeout ability as a rookie in 2024, but his sophomore season was a lost year due to injury. Perhaps former top prospect and still hard-thrower Nate Pearson can thrive in a multi-inning role after signing quickly with Houston as a free agent last month. 2024 late-career breakout Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski (acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade) are also expected back from elbow surgery at some point next year.

The Astros can generally be relied on to conjure up competent run-prevention strategies, regardless of who is on the mound. But replacing Valdez is no small task and should not be taken lightly by this front office.

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2. How does Carlos Correaâ€s presence impact Isaac Paredes?

Maybe a Verlander reunion comes to pass, maybe not. But the Astros already went out of their way to bring another fan favorite back into the fold when they swung a deal in July to reacquire Carlos Correa from Minnesota, a stunning transaction that served as a dramatic salary dump for the Twins as they shed payroll amidst a lost season. Correaâ€s return is a boon for a fan base that surely missed cheering for the charismatic infielder, but it also raises some interesting questions about the infield entering 2026.

Recall that Correaâ€s integration into the lineup at third base, in deference to star shortstop Jeremy Peña, was possible only because of All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes†hamstring injury. If we assume Paredes is healthy entering spring training, where is he going to play? If Correa is locked in at the hot corner, Paredes†path to regular at-bats — which he clearly deserves based on his pre-injury performance — would be at first base, where Christian Walker is owed $40 million over the next two seasons, or DH, a spot the Astros would reportedly prefer to rotate between Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. Paredes played some second base with the Rays in 2022 and 2023 but is not considered a viable defender there at this stage in his career.

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One option would be to seek a trade of Walker and have Paredes handle first, but finding a trade partner for Walker — not to mention the optics of moving on from him so quickly after the disastrous and eerily similar Jose Abreu contract — would be tough. Paredes certainly offers more trade value on his own, but dealing a bat of his caliber for a return that definitively makes the roster better could be challenging. Either way, it would seem that Houston needs to make at least one move involving this part of the roster for the team to function properly.

3. How does Jose Altuve fit on the roster?

One potential solution to the Paredes problem is to play Alvarez regularly in left field and Altuve at his longtime post at second base. But it seems the Astros are indeed committed to moving Altuve away from the keystone, based on his troubling defensive trajectory, and last seasonâ€s ill-fated attempt to move him to left field was abandoned in response to injuries elsewhere on the roster more than how that move was going. Plus, manager Joe Espada was adamant even before Alvarezâ€s injury-marred 2025 that the team would prefer to limit the sluggerâ€s defensive responsibilities.

As such, in an effort to keep both players in the lineup as much as possible, the preferred arrangement would be to have them alternate between DH and left field. If this helps Altuve and Alvarez stay healthy, thereâ€s a good chance the duo can contribute in a big way to Houstonâ€s run-production efforts without hurting their defense too terribly. But even if that happens, there remains one obvious question …

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[Get more Houston news: Astros team feed]

4. Who is going to play second base?

If Altuveâ€s days as the every-day second baseman are indeed over, whatâ€s the succession plan? After Altuve, the three most frequent starters at second in 2025 were Mauricio Dubón, Brendan Rodgers and Ramón Urías, none of whom is still on the roster. Urías was non-tendered, Rodgers became a free agent, and Dubón was traded to Atlanta in exchange for shortstop Nick Allen. Allen is a terrific defender at shortstop and surely a capable glove at second, but his paltry offensive output does not warrant regular playing time; heâ€s a bench option at best. As far as other internal options go, Brice Matthews — Houstonâ€s first-round pick in 2023 who made his big-league debut in 2025 and made 11 starts at second base — is an exciting athlete who has performed well in the minors but harbors significant hit-tool risk.

As the roster stands now, Matthews deserves the opportunity to win the starting job out of spring training. But Houston could also look outside the organization for a more stable option at second. St. Louis†Brendan Donovan is an ideal trade target, and the Astros reportedly have interest in pursuing him in a deal, though they are hardly alone in that regard and would likely need to outbid several competitors to land the soon-to-be 29-year-old, who just made his first All-Star team and offers defensive versatility beyond just second base.

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Donovan is a terrific fit, but he isnâ€t the only accomplished second baseman who could potentially be had in a trade; Jeff McNeil and Brandon Lowe also fit what Houston could be looking for if offense is the priority. Notably fewer options exist in free agency, but the Astros could explore another attempt at bringing in Jorge Polanco, whom they reportedly pursued last offseason before he returned to Seattle. Polanco would certainly boost the lineup — and deal a significant blow to a division rival — but heâ€s a poor defender who might fit best at DH sooner rather than later.

5. Whatâ€s going on in the outfield?

If we grant that left field will be occupied by some combination of Alvarez and Altuve, the other two spots could be filled in a variety of ways based on how this offseason shakes out. Center fielder Jake Meyers — a fantastic defender who enjoyed a mini-breakout with the bat in 2025 — is reportedly in trade talks as Houston seeks rotation reinforcements, perhaps an indication that adding an arm in free agency is less likely. Should Meyers stay put, his glove alone would make him a reasonable every-day option, but he could also platoon with lefty-hitting prospect Zach Cole, who showed glimpses of impact ability but also struck out a ton in his September cameo. If Meyers is dealt, that indicates a pretty significant vote of confidence from the front office that Cole can translate his impressive physical tools into reliable production despite the whiffs.

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Right field is arguably even more compelling. Cam Smith — the top prospect acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker deal — acquitted himself well early in his rookie season after starring in spring training amidst a position switch from third base to right. But Smith fell off a cliff in the second half, hitting .154/.247/.242 in 170 plate appearances after the All-Star break. That could merely be a sign that the 22-year-old was physically worn down, having played the longest season of his life, or it could be a sign that he needs more development in the minors, where he barely played before making his debut with Houston.

Then thereâ€s Jesús Sánchez, who scuffled badly after being acquired from the Marlins at the trade deadline but remains on the roster as a possible left-handed option to handle right field. Sánchez is a clearly flawed but more-proven-than-Smith hitter who could settle in as a slugging contributor toward the bottom of the lineup. Smith is obviously more important to Houstonâ€s long-term plans, but Sánchez — or another internal option such as Taylor Trammell or Zach Dezenzo — could be better suited to handle right field in the immediate future.

Thereâ€s enough uncertainty in center and right that the Astros might be wise to pursue an external addition in the outfield. Thereâ€s no shortage of options on the free-agent market, and thatâ€s true even once you get past the elite options such as Tucker and Cody Bellinger, who would be well out of Houstonâ€s price range. From Harrison Bader to Mike Yastrzemski to Cedric Mullins to Max Kepler and more, thereâ€s a variety of outfielders on the open market who could make sense as plug-and-play options for the Astros over the less-proven in-house candidates.

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The Old Course is nurturing a young tradition. It started in 2024, when the St. Andrews Links Trust turned back time by setting up the Old Course in its original clockwise routing. The event aroused such interest that organizers opted to repeat it. The Old Course Reversed is now an annual occasion.

In 2026, it’s returning for a third spin. The next edition of Old Course Reversed is set for April 19–21. Applications for it will be accepted during a 48-hour window beginning at 10 a.m. GMT on Dec. 8, and closing at the same hour on Dec. 10.

Like a buddies’ trip in a time machine, the event sets participants loose on the Old Course as it was played long ago, starting on the 1st tee and hitting to what is now the 17th green, then on to the 16th and so on before concluding on the 18th green. That was how things worked until around 1870, when Old Tom Morris separated the first and 17th greens. For much of the following century, the course was frequently played in both directions. But the counterclockwise routing — the one used for daily play and also as an Open Championship host site — eventually became the standard.

Now, everything that’s old becomes new again. Once a year.

Advanced public packages for 2026 are £800 and include three rounds over the three-day event (Sunday through Tuesday) on the Old Course, the Old Course Reversed and the Castle Course, plus food-and-drink vouchers and access to the practice grounds at the St. Andrews Links Golf Academy.

GOLF.com was on hand for last year’s edition, capturing the scene and the switchback setup. For a more detailed look at that experience, check out the full video on our YouTube channel below.

For more information — or to apply once the window opens — click here.

Jaxson Hayes grabbed a rebound late in the second quarter and passed the ball to Luka Doncic, who promptly threw a bad pass for a turnover. A few seconds later, Doncic got a rebound and lost the ball for another turnover. Then he threw away another pass. A minute later, he did it again.

Over a roughly two-minute stretch in the second quarter, Doncic turned the ball over four times.

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It was that kind of night for Doncic and the Lakers. Their inability to take care of the basketball doomed them in a 125-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers had 22 turnovers and Doncic had nine.

“Yeah, that was my fault. No way I can have nine turnovers in the game,†said Doncic, who also had 38 points and 11 rebounds. “So in that second quarter… they’re giving the shots, (so) instead of shooting the ball, I feel like I was trying to get (everyone) involved. But there’s no way I should have nine turnovers.â€

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Austin Reaves was nearly as bad, turning it over five times.

“I dribbled the ball literally out of bounds one time,†said Reaves, who had 16 points. “I’ve done it before. I did it tonight and at some point I’ll probably do it again. … I was bad in that aspect, so I gotta be better.â€

LeBron James, who extended his double-figure scoring streak in the regular season to 1,297 games, had three turnovers as the Lakers’ Big Three combined for 17.

Entering the game, the Suns averaged an NBA-high 10.6 steals per game, and the Lakers were aware of that.

“Turnovers, turnovers (and) transition points,†said James about what went wrong for the Lakers. “And obviously on our home floor and against a disruptive defense like that, you canâ€t turn the ball over that much. And they were pretty much all pick-sixes. They not only turned us over, they were able to convert.â€

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Lakers hit the road

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes battles Suns forward Oso Ighodaro for the ball during the Lakers’ loss Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Now the Lakers must take their show on the road, playing three games in four nights on the East Coast against opponents all above .500.

They start Thursday night against the 14-7 Toronto Raptors, then face the 11-9 Boston Celtics on Friday before finishing the trip Sunday against the 10-9 Philadelphia 76ers.

“Well, the road trip should always refocus you, no matter how youâ€re playing,†James said. “So, I donâ€t think it took for us to have this game tonight to refocus us.â€

The Raptors have lost two straight, but they are 8-2 in their last 10 games.

“I don’t watch too much NBA, sorry,†said Doncic when asked to share his thoughts on the Raptors. “I know they have a good record. I love the coach [Darko Rajakovic]. … I know he has (them) playing physical, so we’re gonna see.”

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The Lakers will also see if James will play in back-to-back games.

He didnâ€t play against the Pelicans on Sunday night in the first game of a back-to-back.

Since the Lakers listed James out with left foot injury management, he was asked if that was something new for this season after he missed the first 14 games with sciatica.

“Yeah, itâ€s called old,†said James, who turns 41 this month.

Poor defense

Lakers coach coach JJ Redick looks on as the Lakers play the Suns on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers had a defensive plan in place, but it didnâ€t work.

They allowed the Suns to shoot 57% from the field and 44% from three-point range.

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Collin Gillespie, a known three-point shooter, went eight for 14 from three-point range on his way to 28 points. Royce Oâ€Neale made two three-pointers.

“I don’t remember ever talking about going under (screens) versus lasers (three-point shooters), and Gillespie’s making threes and Royce O’Neale was making threes, going under,†Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s a weird sort of thing.â€

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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RALEIGH – Breaking the silence in a dressing room quieted by a 1-0 overtime loss, Devin Cooley was asked about the opportunity heâ€s been presented.

In a season in which the Calgary Flames’ backup wasnâ€t expected to get many more than a half dozen starts by Christmas, his number was called Sunday for the fifth time in six games.

No, Dustin Wolf is not nursing an injury, nor are they resting him.

Cooley has simply played his way to prominence, with numbers that have him among league leaders in goals against (1.88) and save percentage (.930).

On Sunday, he was at his best once again, keeping the Flames in a tight game against the leagueâ€s third-best offence, until Nikolaj Ehlers poked home the winner three minutes into extra time.

When asked how heâ€s managed to break through in such dramatic fashion, the 28-year-old rookie said his key is keeping it loose.

“I’m laughing, I’m smiling, I’m singing, you know, I’m making jokes,†said Cooley despite losing out on his first NHL shutout minutes earlier.

“(Andrei) Svechnikov comes up to me and he goes, ‘Give me a goal.’ And Iâ€m like, ‘I donâ€t want to give you a goal.†He says, ‘maybe five-hole?,†and I say ‘maybe.â€â€

He then cited a third-period turnover of his that prompted him to have to poke away a centring pass.

“Itâ€s a horrible play by me, but then I go in the corner, Iâ€m like laughing, Iâ€m looking at Wolfie and heâ€s laughing too,†said Cooley, who stopped 16 of 17 shots in a 1-0 loss.

“It just helps take away the severity of the mistakes you make and makes the game a lot more fun. Thatâ€s when I play my best.

“When I stop having fun, and I start gripping my stick a little too hard, thatâ€s when maybe I donâ€t play so good. So Iâ€m just gonna continue to try to have as much fun as possible.â€

Anecdotes like these are not normal in a hockey world in which beige is always the colour of the day, and sticking out is shunned.

As coach Ryan Huska joked recently when asked about Cooleyâ€s oversharing, “When I hear things like that, I just think, ‘goalie.â€â€

Craig Conroy thinks the same thing, but admits heâ€s been chastised by his wife for doing so.

“My wife even mentions that, because I’ll say, ‘Whoa, that was a lot,†and she goes, ‘Craig, you used to say some stuff too,â€â€ laughed the Flames GM, who was one of the more colourful, chatty types as a player. Â

“So, I get it. That’s just his personality. But, again, sometimes you’re like, ‘Oh, why would you say that?†Itâ€s just the wording sometimes. But then you hear the response, and people love it. It’s just kind of a breath of fresh air, and he’s being him. It’s fun.â€

It started with the day he arrived at camp from San Jose two summers ago with a road trip tale that involved two flat tires, his pet rabbit Tito and an accident involving a truck spilling exploding whipped cream canisters.

Every chat since is full of animation, including the recent revelation that during games, he repeats a simple mantra to calm himself: “Nothing matters. Nobody cares. Weâ€re all going to die.â€

“I’m trying not to think too much about myself at all,†said Cooley, who went from being the best goalie in the AHL last season to the worst following a mid-season concussion.

“I think in previous years, and maybe even in pre-season, I was just so focused internally, stressed and second-guessing myself. And now it’s like, I’m only focused on what’s happening outside, and what the other team is doing, and trying to have a lot of fun while I play.Â

“I just continue to learn and continue to get better, and hopefully I can continue that for the whole season, because anybody in this league can have a stretch of, like, 10 good games as a goalie, but the test is if you can do it consistently over a season. So that’s kind of my goal is just to continue to progress and continue to be consistent.â€

Heâ€s getting more chances to do that, which is a significant development for a team worried in the pre-season it would have to play Wolf upwards of 60 times.

“Devin has been really good, so there isnâ€t a sense that we have to overplay Dustin,†said Huska, explaining his decision to keep playing Cooley.

“We have two good goaltenders now and Devin has proven that we need to look at him that way. Heâ€s finding a way to get us points and making key saves at the right time, so you want to reward him.â€

Asked if he could have fathomed getting a cluster of starts like this, given the pre-season struggles he had, he shrugged.

“I try not to think about it, you know, and I’ve said this a few times before, like, I don’t care if I play 50 games or five games or I’m not even here,†said Cooley.

“I just want to continue to take things day by day and continue to have fun with it. This is my purpose in life right now, you know? And this is what gives me energy and what gives me happiness, and what I enjoy more than anything. And I’m just happy to be here and continuing to learn and grow.â€

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