Browsing: straight

  • blank

    Dave McMenaminDec 8, 2025, 01:47 AM ET

    Close

    • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
    • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

PHILADELPHIA — A game after he failed to reach 10 points for the first time in 17 years, LeBron James turned back the clock to score 10 straight points in the fourth quarter and lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

“At 40 years old, I mean, it just takes a while for my body to kind of get back into a rhythm,” James said. “And so it felt good tonight to kind of feel like myself a little bit.”

In Toronto on Thursday, he missed 13 of 17 shots as his record streak of 1,297 games in double-digit scoring was snapped — albeit in poetic fashion with James finding Rui Hachimura for a game-winning assist on his shot at the buzzer.

Against Philadelphia, he looked like his usual self, scoring a season-high 29 points while shooting 12-for-17 from the field, with seven rebounds, six assists and a steal to thwart the Sixers’ final offensive possession for the finishing touch.

“I do think it’s important to be reminded every now and then of what you’re capable of,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Said Sixers coach Nick Nurse: “He’s done that a time or two in his life, right?”

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

The game provided plenty of reminders of just how long James has been at the top of the sport.

The 76ers were playing in their black throwback uniforms made popular by franchise legend Allen Iverson. This was the same style uniform Philadelphia wore as its standard set when James entered the NBA in 2003.

And after James made a fadeaway 20-footer with 27.4 seconds left to put the Lakers up by five points — his fourth straight jump shot — he paraded down the court in a building, Xfinity Mobile Arena, that has had four different title sponsors since he was drafted.

That last jumper caused the Sixers to call a timeout and James combined a recent signature celebration — pantomiming placing a crown on his head — with a tried and true one, “the silencer” — pounding his chest and then pushing both hands toward the court while taking exaggerated steps.

“I meshed it for the first time in my life,” James told Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell of the new-look celebration in the on-court walk-off interview.

And James, playing in only his seventh game of the season after sitting out all of training camp, the preseason and the first 14 games of the regular season because of sciatica affecting his lower back and the lower right side of his body, meshed perfectly with L.A.’s star backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on a night the Lakers needed it.

Doncic had just taken a transatlantic from Slovenia to Philadelphia to rejoin the team after a two-game absence to be with his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, for the birth of their second daughter, Olivia.

And Reaves, who came into the game averaging a career-best 29.3 points, endured a rare rough outing, going 3-for-16 from the field.

“I felt like the opportunity kind of presented itself,” James said. “I felt like my two heavy hitters kind of didn’t have it or needed a little kick and I tried to punch in from there.”

The effort was appreciated.

“I mean, that was amazing,” Doncic said. “That was vintage Bron. We’re happy he was there to save us.”

Lakers center Deandre Ayton scored 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting with 12 rebounds and helped limit Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid to just 4-for-21 shooting, but all he wanted to talk about afterward was James.

“It was like a movie,” Ayton said. “Ever watch a movie? Felt like a movie. I was in the movie.”

Meanwhile, it felt like a whirlwind for Doncic, who made his first comments to reporters since a 12-hour flight from L.A. to his hometown of Ljubljana, Slovenia on Tuesday and then another lengthy trip back to the United States on Saturday.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Doncic said. “It was a lot. I was there for the birth of my daughter, so that means everything to me. But it was definitely a roller coaster.”

While Doncic had to leave his family to go back to work — “It’s a job, so I got to do it,” Doncic said — James’ 21-year-old son, Bronny, was on the bench suited up for the Lakers as his dad went off in Philadelphia.

A weary Doncic still managed to post a triple-double with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, even if he shot 9-for-24 with five turnovers. At just 26 years old, there will be plenty more nights for him where he is the star during closing time the way James was.

For James, the only player in league history to play 23 seasons, opportunities like Sunday are becoming ever precious.

“I’ve had so many of those moments that it never gets old,” James said. “And that’s the one thing you won’t be able to get back when you’re done playing is that arena. That excitement of going out — and either the excitement or the boos and the cheers or whatever the case may be. You’ll never be able to get that back once you’re done playing.”

The win lifted the Lakers’ record to 17-6, No. 2 in the Western Conference, and James’ career win total in the regular season to 1,015, moving past Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Robert Parish for No. 2 all time.

It was the Lakers’ first victory in Philadelphia since 2017 — when James still played for Cleveland.

“To do it [and go on scoring spree] in a win is even more important,” James said. “To be able to come up clutch in a win, that’s even more exciting.”

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.

Source link

NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Eichel scored at 4:52 of overtime and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the New York Rangers3-2 on Sunday night for their fourth straight win.

Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl also scored, and Mark Stone had two assists for the Golden Knights, who improved to 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. Carter Hartfinished with 21 saves.

Advertisement

Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere scored for the Rangers, who lost in overtime at home for the second straight day to fall to 3-8-3 at Madison Square Garden. Jonathan Quick had 26 saves.

After Hart denied Zibanejad to force a whistle in the Vegas end late in overtime, Eichel raced the other way following the ensuing faceoff and beat Quick for his 12th goal and the win.

Hertl forced overtime with a tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

Lafreniere gave New York a 2-1 lead at 13:01 of the second, firing a shot past Hart for his seventh goal.

Howden, a former Ranger, scored his fifth goal just 36 seconds into the game.

Advertisement

Zibanejad tied it at 9:08 of the second, tapping a loose puck past Hart for his team-leading 11th. Zibanejad has 261 goals as a Ranger, one behind Vic Hadfield for sixth place on the franchise list.

Stone has 20 points in 12 games this season.

Hart was playing his second game since returning to the NHL. The 27-year-old goalie was one of five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault in July. He made his first appearance for Vegas last Tuesday at home, a 4-3 shootout win over Chicago.

Up next

Golden Knights: Visit the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Rangers: Visit Chicago on Wednesday night.

Source link

The Knicks (16-7) defeated the Orlando Magic (14-10) by a final score of 106-100 on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the key takeaways…

— The Knicks were without Karl-Anthony Towns, as the big man was ruled out before tipoff due to calf tightness. Towns, who went for 35 points and 18 rebounds against Charlotte on Wednesday night, is the teamâ€s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, so the Knicks were obviously missing a very important piece.

Advertisement

With Towns out, Mitchell Robinsonstarted alongside the usual starting group.

Franz Wagner,Orlandoâ€s leading scorer on the season averaging 23.4 points per game, went down hard in the first quarter. On an alley-oop attempt, Wagner was fouled by Ariel Hukporti and landed awkwardly, appearing to injure his left knee or ankle. Wagner had to be helped to the locker room, putting no weight on his left leg.

The Knicks then suffered an injury scare of their own in the third quarter, when Miles McBride went down and ended up limping off the floor. Shortly after the game, the Knicks announced he hurt his left ankle and they would share more information on his status Monday. McBride, who has been an absolute spark for the Knicks this season, had four points and two assists in 21 minutes.

— Coming off a 33-point night against Utah, Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Knicks once again. Playing at an MVP-level this season, Brunson had 16 points and five assists in the first quarter alone, attacking the rim and playing well in the mid range. The Knicks led by four points at the end of the first quarter. After getting a rest to start the quarter, Brunson ended up going scoreless in the second frame, as both teams dialed up their defense.

Advertisement

After a back-and-forth first half, the Knicks started the second half on a 9-0 run and went on to outscore the Magic 28-18 in the quarter, with Brunson scoring 10 points.

The All-Star guard finished with 30 points and nine assists.

OG Anunoby, playing in his second game back from injury, once again had his minutes limited. But when he was on the floor, he was in All-Star form, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in just under 28 minutes. His fourth three of the game came early in the fourth quarter, pushing the Knicks’ lead to 16 points. Anunoby was a difference-maker on both sides of the floor.

–The story of the game for Orlando, even before Wagner left the game, was attacking the Knicks in transition. Orlando players beat the Knicks down the floor after made baskets multiple times early on, but the Knicks’ defense adjusted and stifled the Magic, holding them to 38.3 percent shooting on the game. Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, and Paolo Banchero all finished in double digits, but it wasn’t enough.

Advertisement

— With Towns out and Robinson dealing with some foul trouble, Josh Hart stepped up and was all over the glass. The veteran finished the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Hukporti also gave the Knicks some strong minutes off the bench, finishing with six points, seven rebounds, and three blocks.

— The Knicks have now won eight of their last nine games, and are now 2.5 games behind Detroit for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Game MVP

Anunoby, whose two-way play, even in limited minutes, played a huge role in the New York victory.

Highlights

Upcoming schedule

The Knicks will take on the Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m.

Source link

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 in three quarters, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 132-111 on Friday night to claim their 14th straight win.

Gilgeous-Alexander made 10 of 12 field goals and 11 of 12 free throws to help the Thunder improve to 22-1 overall. He scored at least 20 points for the 95th straight game, the second-longest streak in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 126 straight from 1961 to 1963.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said Gilgeous-Alexander’s lethal efficiency on offense is a reflection of his steady improvement over eight seasons in the NBA.

Editor’s Picks

  • blank
  • blank

1 Related

“He’s got a lot of experiences,” Daigneault said. “I think a 23-game playoff run [last season] was informative for everybody, including him. And he kind of channels all that into his work, which is ruthlessly consistent and very focused. So all he’s ever done is improve. You know, so at this point, as great of a player as he is, it’s not surprising when it gets even better.”

Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each scored 15 points for the Thunder, who rolled without injured starters Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma City shot 56% from the field and made 26 of 28 free throws.

Dallas, though, also dealing with several injuries, had won three straight. Star rookie Cooper Flagg, who averaged 27 points during the winning streak, scored 16 on Friday.

Jaden Hardy led Dallas with 23 points. He made 8 of 13 field goals, including 5 of 9 3-pointers. Naji Marshall added 18 points for the Mavericks.

Dallas’ Anthony Davis, who averaged 20.6 points before Friday night, did not score in the first three quarters. He finally scored on a layup with just over eight minutes remaining. He finished with two points on 1-for-9 shooting, though he had eight rebounds and six assists.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points in the first half to help Oklahoma City take a 63-48 lead at the break. The Thunder took charge in the third, outscoring the Mavericks 41-26 to go up 104-74 heading into the fourth. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the quarter, making 5 of 6 field goals and all four free throw attempts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks saw their losing streak extended to a season-high four games as the Utah Mammoth earned a 4-1 win on Friday.Â

Mikhail Sergachev, Nick Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth (14-12-3), while John Marino added a short-handed empty-net goal with 36 seconds remaining. Karel Vejmelka followed up his first shutout of the campaign Wednesday with a 31-save performance at Rogers Arena.

Arshdeep Bains spoiled Vejmelka’s bid for consecutive clean sheets early in the third period, tipping an Aatu Raty shot high over his shoulder for the forward’s first of 2025-26.

Kevin Lankinen made 14 saves for the Canucks (10-15-3), who sit in last in the NHL’s overall standings.

The Mammoth went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Canucks were 0-for-3.

The officials waived off a third Utah goal with 6:16 to play in the third, ruling that Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther had made contact with Lankinen.Â

Canucks: The loss drops their home record to 3-8-1, and marks their first four-game losing streak of the season (0-3-1).

Mammoth: The Mammoth scored with the man advantage for the second-straight game despite coming into Friday with the league’s 28th-ranked power play.

With the Canucks pressing for the equalizer in the third, Vejmelka made six saves, including two on Jake DeBrusk during a Vancouver power play, then back-to-back chances from Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser with just over five minutes remaining.

The Canucks are still looking for their first win over the Mammoth franchise after going 0-2-1 last season.

Canucks: Continue their four-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

Mammoth: Close out their six-game road trip against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

Source link

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist, Akira Schmidgot a shutout against his former team, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the New Jersey Devils3-0 on Friday night.

Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev also scored and Jack Eichel had two assists for Vegas, which has won three straight after a four-game skid (0-2-2). Schmid, who spent three seasons with New Jersey before being traded to Vegas on June 29, 2024, finished with 24 saves to get his third career shutout — second this season.

Advertisement

Jacob Markstrom had 24 saves for the Devils, who were shut out for the second straight game and finished a winless four-game homestand (0-4-0). New Jersey lost 3-0 to Dallas on Wednesday night.

The Devils shuffled all four lines and got off to a slow start as they were outshot 13-5 in the first period.

Theodore got the Golden Knights on the scoreboard with 13 seconds left in the opening period, scoring from the right circle after a pass from Eichel.

New Jersey then outshot Vegas 11-7 in a scoreless second period.

There were no penalties until Vegas†Brandon Saad was sent off for tripping at 2:16 of the third period. The Devils had only one shot on goal during the advantage.

Advertisement

New Jersey got another power play nearly 10 minutes later when Noah Hanifin was called for delay of game for sending the puck over the glass, but the Devils were held without a shot on goal.

The Golden Knights got their first power play 5 seconds after their penalty expired as New Jerseyâ€s Nico Hischier was whistled for hooking. Hertl took advantage as he tipped Mitch Marnerâ€s one-timer past Markstrom with 4:26 remaining for his team-leading 12th of the season.

With Hischier in the penalty box again, Barbashev scored on the rebound of Eichelâ€s shot from center point that hit the left post with 1:24 left.

Up next

Golden Knights: At New York Rangers on Sunday night.

Devils: At Boston on Saturday night.

Source link

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Alex Ovechkin scored twice to extend his record to 911 career goals, Riley Leonard had four points and the Washington Capitals beat the San Jose Sharks 7-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight win.

Ovechkin started a four-goal barrage in the first period when he scored on a rebound near the side of the net midway. He added a power-play goal in the second to give him 14 goals on the season and 10 in the past 11 games.

Washington got plenty of help, getting goals from Sonny Milano, Leonard, Brandon Duhaime later in the period to knock out Yaroslav Askarov and help extend the team’s longest winning streak since also winning six straight in January last season.

Leonard finished with two goals and two assists and Dylan Strome also scored for Washington.

Charlie Lindgren made 23 saves and added his second career assist for the Capitals.

Pavol Regenda scored his second goal since being called up from the AHL earlier this week when he converted on the power play in the third period to cut the deficit to 7-1 and deny Lindgren the shutout.

Askarov had won nine of his last 11 starts, allowing two goals or fewer in eight of those wins. But this was the second time in the past eight days that he was knocked out early after getting replaced early in the second period last Wednesday in Colorado after allowing four goals.

Askarov made eight saves and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 15 of 18 shots in relief.

The Sharks had won seven of their last eight home games but were never in this game after Ovechkin got the scoring barrage started.

Ovechkin’s goal in the second gave him 181 career muiltigoal games — eight shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Capitals: At Anaheim on Friday.

Sharks: At Dallas on Friday.

Source link

The Lakers cruised to their seventh consecutive win Sunday, taking down the overmatched New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 at Crypto.com Arena, but the play has not always been as impressive as the team’s strong 15-4 record.

Against a team missing nearly all of its star players, including Zion Williamson, the Lakers let a 26-point second-quarter lead shrink to 11 by the third quarter. Instead of resting ahead of another game on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, Austin Reaves played 40 minutes, finishing with 33 points and eight assists. But with ice bags wrapped around both knees and both feet submerged in an ice bath, Reaves was still encouraged by the Lakers’ rise to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.

Advertisement

“You’re not always going to win in the prettiest way,†Reaves said. “Some games you’re going to have to muck it up and win ugly games. And I feel like we’ve won in a variety of ways, which speaks to the character of everybody in this locker room and on the staff.â€

Here are three takeaways from the win:

Lakers trying to become ‘process teamâ€

Lakers coach JJ Redick reacts and directs his team during a win over the Pelicans Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.

Lakers coach JJ Redick reacts and directs his team during a win over the Pelicans Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

JJ Redick had seen this story before. Riding high with a 7-2 record and playing against an undermanned and seemingly overwhelmed team, the Lakers got boat raced by Atlanta on Nov. 8.

With the Pelicans (3-18) missing nearly all their star players and the Lakers with seven wins in their previous nine games entering Sunday’s matchup, Redick didnâ€t want to see another shocking upset.

Advertisement

So the coaching staff challenged the players before the game. Get off to a strong start, Redick implored. Players responded by piling on a season-high 46 points in the first quarter. Luka Doncic had 20 by himself.

But playing their seventh consecutive game against teams that are currently below .500, the Lakers let bad habits slip back in.

“I hate saying this, but teams can get a little bored,†Redick said of building such a commanding lead. “And that’s what we’re trying to get away from. [Our focus] is just continuing to be a process team and didn’t think we were great with that tonight.â€

The Pelicans shot 57.6% from the field in the final three quarters after the Lakers held them to eight of 25 shooting (32%) in the first quarter. Bryce McGowens led the Pelicans with 23 points while Saddiq Bey had 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Advertisement

Luka Doncic-Austin Reaves machine keeps churning

Lakers guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves extend their fists toward each other for a bump as players are introduced.

Lakers guards Luka Doncic, left, and Austin Reaves, right, have become a dynamic scoring duo. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

Doncic is, by Redickâ€s estimation, “one of the greatest offensive engines to ever play basketball.†His running mate Reaves, in the midst of a career year, is “one of the greatest offensive engines in this yearâ€s NBA.â€

The Lakers†star guards went into overdrive to power the Lakers without LeBron James on Sunday, combining for 67 points and 15 assists as James missed the game with a right foot injury.

Doncic entered the game as the NBAâ€s leading scorer, averaging 35.1 points per game, but was also ranked second in assists per game with 9.4 assists per game. He had his sixth consecutive 30-point game with 34 points Sunday, adding seven assists, 12 rebounds and just two turnovers despite being double-teamed nearly every time he had the ball. In fact, Doncic invited double teams, beckoning extra defenders toward him as he surveyed the court.

Advertisement

“The gravity that he has on the court, it’s impossible to guard him any certain way because [of] his ability to pass the ball, his unselfishness and his shot-making ability,†Reaves said. “Then, once you blitz him, then you have advantage basketball and we like our chances.â€

Doncic said after dishing 11 assists with 35 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday that if he gets blitzed by extra defenders, itâ€s a sign he did his job. Playing four-on-three is “the easiest basketball you can play,†he said proudly.

Deandre Ayton roars to double-double

Lakers center Deandre Ayton shoots as Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and center Derik Queen watch on Sunday.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton shoots as Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and center Derik Queen watch on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

Deandre Ayton warmed up for Sundayâ€s game wearing a black T-shirt with a photo of half of his face printed next to half of a lionâ€s. Before games, the 7-foot center drinks a specially mixed energy drink that has the message “unleash the beast†written on the bottle in black ink.

Advertisement

On Sunday, the Lakers†lion roared to 22 points and 12 rebounds with a season-high four blocks. He continued his efficient shooting by making seven for nine shots from the field and going eight for eight from the free throw line.

Ayton, averaging 16 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, is shooting a career-best 71% from the field. Unlike the teamâ€s leader in field-goal percentage Jaxson Hayes (75%), Ayton is not doing the majority of his scoring on sure-fire dunks. He is shooting 61% on shots between five and 14 feet from the rim, tied with Nikola Jokic for best among centers who have taken 20 or more such shots.

“I’m really impressed just with his touch,†Redick said. “When he gets the ball in that pocket, or he collects a loose ball or rebound, or he gets a post up in that sort of, like, nine- to 12-foot area, just got a great touch. And it’s another weapon we have, him scoring the basketball at a high efficiency in that area.â€

Ayton left the game with 7:25 remaining after tweaking his right knee while contesting a shot from Pelicans rookie Derik Queen. He immediately signaled toward the bench for a sub and walked gingerly back to the sideline while grabbing toward his right knee. Ayton missed one game because of a right knee contusion suffered in the first half against Utah on Nov. 23, but said it felt fine after cooling down.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Source link

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that they picked up a point in the standings and stopped their three-game regulation losing skid on Saturday evening against the Boston Bruins.

Advertisement

The bad news is that it was their fourth straight game without a victory, as they were beaten by a 4-3 final score in a shootout at TD Garden.

Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt scored the only goal in the shootout after neither team was able to find the back of the net during overtime, while Jeremy Swayman stopped attempts from Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane, and Alex DeBrincat.

Connor Geekie scored both goals in regulation for the Bruins, who were playing without both top forward David Pastrnak and defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings will lament that they were unsuccessful on all five power-play opportunities they had during the contest, including one in overtime.

Advertisement

Geekie’s two goals put him into a first place tie with Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead with 20. He tallied in the second period after a scoreless opening 20 minutes of play, deflecting a shot past Cam Talbot following a turnover by Ben Chiarot.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-daycoverage, and player features.

Lucas Raymond scored a similar goal in the early goings of the third period, deflecting home a shot-pass from Dylan Larkin to knot the score at one. But following a Chiarot high-sticking penalty, Geekie restored the Boston lead with a one-timed shot from the face-off circle past the glove of Talbot.

The Red Wings drew even late in regulation with Talbot on the bench after a nifty feed from Kane to Michael Rasmussen, who had a tap-in for his second goal in as many games.

Advertisement

Talbot stopped 17 of 19 shots, while Swayman countered with 24 saves. Both teams will meet again on Tuesday evening at Little Caesars Arena.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum

Source link

Nov 29, 2025, 01:34 AM ET

OKLAHOMA CITY — Making his long-awaited season debut, Jalen Williams had 11 points and eight assists in his return from wrist surgery, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 123-119 on Friday night to reach the knockout round of the NBA Cup.

Williams played 29 minutes and made 3 of 12 shots to help the defending champion Thunder win their 11th straight game and become the fifth team in NBA history to start 19-1. They finished 4-0 in West Group A.

The All-Star guard/forward had surgery in July to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist and a follow-up procedure to remove a screw that was causing irritation.

Editor’s Picks

  • blank
  • blank

1 Related

“The goal for tonight was to get in a rhythm, but it’s an adjustment,” Williams said. “Game 7 was, what, five months ago? Almost six. Trying to adjust to the physicality now was a little different. A lot of it was just rhythm — trying not to do too much, just finding the spots where I was comfortable five months ago.”

The Thunder are off to a dominant start despite Williams sitting out their first 19 games. Last season, Williams broke out as one of the NBA’s best players, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals. He became one of two players to make both All-NBA (third team) and All-Defensive (second team), along with Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.

Williams said the hardest part about getting back into the flow with the Thunder will come on the offensive end.

“Defense is easy for me, especially when you lose your right hand for five months,” he said. “I can always play hard defensively and figure things out from there. Offensively, yeah, it’ll take time. I’ve had two hand surgeries, and I’m still figuring out my jump shot and dribbling. It’s a process, but defensively, my feet feel fine, my wind is good. I can always do that, and I can find ways to contribute offensively until I get my rhythm back.

Because Williams sat out the first 19 games of the season, he is ineligible for postseason honors, meaning he is no longer in line for the $287 million supermax contract kicker in his five-year, $239 million extension.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 37 points Friday night, including 15 in the final seven minutes on 4-of-5 shooting. He has scored at least 20 points in 92 consecutive games, matching Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest streak in NBA history. Chamberlain is first with 126 straight games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link