<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/news/cavs-news-lebron-james-compares-warriors-nba-finals-run-rap-beef');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James compares Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals run to ‘rap beef’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cavs-news-LeBron-James-compares-Cleveland-Warriors-NBA-Finals-run-to-rap-beef.jpg"></figure><h1>LeBron James compares Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals run to ‘rap beef’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T19:40:45-08:00">December 24th, 7:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T19:40:45-08:00">December 24th, 7:40pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>A Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, Rex claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It was several years ago when the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors last met in the NBA Finals. Those <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-warriors-coach-steve-kerr-thinks-cleveland-2016-17-team-best-they-ever-faced-nba-finals">Cavs-Dubs finals matchups in the latter part of the 2010s continue to be talked about</a> these days, and that’s going to be the case for a long time.</p><p>The Cavaliers and the Warriors met in each of the NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018, all of which featured LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Another future Basketball Hall of Famer in Kevin Durant joined the fray in 2017 after he signed with the Warriors in 2016.</p><p>All three basketball superstars recently sat down together and discussed that memorable stretch, with James <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1871681143013253410" rel="noopener">even comparing it to the East Coast vs. West Coast rap rivalry</a>, which peaked in the 1990s.</p><p>“Those four straight years, Cleveland versus Golden State… It was literally like East Coast versus West Coast… It was like a rap beef,” the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player said, via ESPN.</p><h2><b>The Cavs and Warriors had a legendary NBA Finals run </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-Kevin-Durant-during-the-2018-NBA-Finals.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Terada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The finals rivalry between the two franchises started in 2015 with the Warriors beating James and the Cavaliers in six games. It can also be recalled that James was practically left on his own to carry the Cavaliers in that series with Kevin Love unable to participate in the finals because of a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving playing just a game against the Warriors due to a knee injury he suffered in Game 1.</p><p>The following year, the Cavs got their revenge in historic fashion. Down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, the Cavs mounted a come-from-behind series win, forcing a Game 7 and winning the deciding matchup on the road. With that incredible finals win, the Cavaliers became the first team in the history of the NBA to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals.</p><p>Golden State would later seek the help of Durant <a href="https://cavsnation.com/news/cavs-news-lebron-james-made-targeting-stephen-curry-his-own-personal-mission-in-2016-nba-finals">following the painful collapse in the 2016 NBA Finals</a>. Durant inked a two-year deal contract worth $54.3 million in the offseason, giving the Warriors a top-tier offensive weapon to add to their already formidable machine powered by the Splash Brothers of Curry and Klay Thompson. In the 2017 NBA Finals, the Durant-infused Warriors proved to be too much for James and the Cavaliers, who lost the series in five games. In 2018, the two franchises met for the last time in the NBA Finals, with the Dubs shutting out the Cavs, 4-0.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James compares Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals run to ‘rap beef’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-anthony-davis-players-christmas-injury-report');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James, Anthony Davis among players on Christmas injury report');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_1134.jpeg"></figure><h1>LeBron James, Anthony Davis among players on Christmas injury report</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T19:17:49-08:00">December 24th, 7:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T19:17:49-08:00">December 24th, 7:17pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-hypes-christmas-matchup-vs-steph-curry">Lakers will take on the Golden State Warriors in a big Christmas</a> Day matchup. The Lakers have been battling the injury bug this season, and they might be a little short-handed against the Warriors on Christmas. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are listed on the team’s report, and there’s one new notable addition.</p><p>LeBron James and Anthony Davis are <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1871723157432017089" rel="noopener">both listed as questionable</a> on the Lakers injury report for their Christmas game against the Warriors, as per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.</p><p>James has now played in four straight games since being sidelined with a foot injury. Davis suffered an injury scare against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 15, and he’s been listed with that shoulder injury since even though he hasn’t had to miss any games.</p><p>But the one new name that stands out is D’Angelo Russell. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-dangelo-russell-crucial-injury-update-jj-redick-pistons-loss">Russell apparently has a thumb injury that was alluded to by JJ Redick</a> following the Lakers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Russell came out of the game late in the fourth quarter, headed for the locker room and did not return. Redick mentioned that he was getting either his hand or thumb checked out.</p><p>Based on the last couple of games, it’s likely that James and Davis will both play against the Warriors. But Russell is another matter. A firm update on him likely won’t come until sometime before the game. Russell was coming off two strong road performances against the Sacramento Kings before Monday’s game against the Pistons.</p><p>In addition to James, Davis and Russell, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood all remain out. Vanderbilt and Wood have yet to make their 2024-25 season debuts.</p><p>Prior to the Lakers’ game against the Pistons, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jaxson-hayes-christian-wood-get-key-injury-update-per-jj-redick">Redick acknowledged that there is no new injury update for either Hayes or Wood</a>. He was not asked about Vanderbilt.</p><p>The Lakers had won three straight games before the Pistons loss. They have won two straight road games though heading into the big matchup with the Warriors.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James, Anthony Davis among players on Christmas injury report

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/warriors-news-stephen-curry-lebron-james-motivation-admission');   ga('set', 'title', 'Warriors’ Stephen Curry drops brutally honest LeBron James motivation admission');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Stephen-Curry-almost-breaks-internet-by-schooling-LeBron-James-before-near-dunk.jpg"></figure><h1>Warriors’ Stephen Curry drops brutally honest LeBron James motivation admission</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T18:21:36-08:00">December 24th, 6:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T18:21:36-08:00">December 24th, 6:21pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors had plenty of competitive matchups against LeBron James during LeBron’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although Golden State defeated Cleveland in three of the four NBA Finals in which they went head-to-head, Curry <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1871691366146916474" rel="noopener">recently admitted</a> that playing against LeBron was part of his motivation, via SportsCenter and ClutchPoints.</p><p>“Offseason workouts, in the back of your mind, his face (LeBron James) is in your head,” Curry said. “Thinking about who you’re going to have to beat to get to the ultimate goal.”</p><p>That’s right, Curry was thinking about the obstacle that James presented during the NBA offseason. Of course, the Warriors and Cavs played each other in the championship for four consecutive seasons, so Curry had a good idea of who his opponent was going to be during that time.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-stephen-curry-eventual-retirement">Following his eventual retirement, Curry</a> may give more details about the Warriors-Cavs epic NBA Finals. But Curry’s admission is attention-catching for now. His comments provide an intriguing insight into his preparation while playing for one of the most historic dynasties of all-time.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-hypes-christmas-matchup-vs-steph-curry">Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron’s current team, will play on Christmas Day</a> this year. Regardless of which team James has been on, he has consistently had competitive matchups with Curry. That likely will not change on Wednesday night.</p><p>Playing against LeBron surely still gives Curry no shortage of motivation. The two seem to respect one another, but they unquestionably want to emerge victorious when playing against each other. LeBron likely feels the same way, as he would love to lead the Lakers to a win over the Warriors on Christmas Day.</p><p>Tip-off for the Lakers and Warriors clash is scheduled for 8 PM EST on Wednesday night as Stephen Curry and LeBron James prepare for what should be another exciting matchup.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Warriors’ Stephen Curry drops brutally honest LeBron James motivation admission

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-downplays-la-physicality-problem');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James downplays Lakers’ physicality problem with ‘football player’ declaration');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-downplays-LAs-physicality-problem-with-football-player-declaration.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>LeBron James downplays Lakers’ physicality problem with ‘football player’ declaration</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T09:21:21-08:00">December 24th, 9:21am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T09:21:21-08:00">December 24th, 9:21am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Detroit Pistons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jj-redick-gets-brutally-honest-about-whats-causing-lakers-offense-to-rot">Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t extend their winning streak to four games</a>, falling 117-114 to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. LeBron James led the way with a triple-double, recording 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. In the aftermath of the loss, James addressed concerns about the team’s struggles against physical opponents, offering a candid assessment of their performance.</p><p>“I don’t know… We just gotta match physicality with physicality,” James <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1871452796039635439" rel="noopener">said</a> in his postgame remarks to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I can’t speak for nobody but myself when it comes to there. I’m a football player so I don’t mind physicality to be honest. As a team, we just gotta be better with it – just be strong, that’s all.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James on whether opposing teams’ physicality- like Detroit – is getting the best of the Lakers: “I’m a football player so I don’t mind physicality, to be honest” <a href="https://t.co/5jwit85CMj">pic.twitter.com/5jwit85CMj</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1871452796039635439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>When asked if physicality is something the team can develop over time, James was candid in his response.</p><p>“We got to do it as a team. We gotta help guys get open, guys are pressuring the ball. You gotta help guys screen better – use the triple-threat,” James explained. “It’s not something you can learn though. You don’t learn how to be more physical. It’s either in you, or not.”</p><h2>Lakers address physicality concerns after Pistons loss ahead of Christmas Day clash vs. Warriors</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-23-dunks-for-the-basket-against-Detroit-Pistons-guard-Jaden-Ivey-23.jpg"><figcaption>© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The loss dropped the Lakers to a 16-13 record, exposing vulnerabilities against teams that excel in a more physical style of play. As they look to bounce back, the Lakers turn their focus to an eagerly anticipated <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-timberwolves-mavericks-lakers-warriors-christmas-day-games">Christmas Day showdown against the Golden State Warriors</a>, who hold a 15-13 record.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-hypes-christmas-matchup-vs-steph-curry">LeBron James also reflected on his upcoming matchup with Stephen Curry</a>, a rivalry that has defined much of their careers. This Christmas marks the fourth time the two stars will face off on the holiday. James holds a 2-1 record in their Christmas Day meetings, with the most recent encounter occurring in 2018 when James and the Lakers defeated Curry and the Warriors.</p><p>The Lakers will need to address their physicality concerns ahead of their clash with Golden State, a team known for its fast-paced offense and defensive intensity at times. With both teams vying for momentum in a tight Western Conference race, the matchup promises to be a critical test for Los Angeles as they aim to solidify their identity moving forward.</p><p>For James, the game will serve as another chapter in his storied rivalry with Curry, combining high stakes with the festive backdrop of a marquee NBA tradition.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James downplays Lakers’ physicality problem with ‘football player’ declaration

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-hypes-christmas-matchup-vs-steph-curry');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James hypes Christmas matchup vs. Steph Curry with sobering take');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-news-LeBron-James-hypes-Christmas-matchup-vs.-Steph-Curry-with-sobering-take.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>LeBron James hypes Christmas matchup vs. Steph Curry with sobering take</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T09:03:51-08:00">December 24th, 9:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T09:03:51-08:00">December 24th, 9:03am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-dangelo-russell-crucial-injury-update-jj-redick-pistons-loss">Los Angeles Lakers’ three-game win streak came to an end</a> Monday night in a 117-114 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Despite the defeat, LeBron James posted a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Lakers fell to 16-13 on the season, but James quickly turned his focus to the team’s highly anticipated <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-timberwolves-mavericks-lakers-warriors-christmas-day-games">Christmas Day matchup against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors</a>.</p><p>Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Wednesday, James <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1871454531097428213" rel="noopener">reflected</a> on the opportunity to face Curry, emphasizing the significance of their rivalry.</p><p>“Anytime you get an opportunity to get on the court and compete [with] one of the greats that’s ever played this game – you don’t take it for granted,” James said. “Like I said, I don’t know how many more opportunities we’ll get to go against each other, so it’s always fun.”</p><h2><b>LeBron James’ Lakers set for Christmas Day clash vs. Stephen Curry’s Warriors</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-left-and-Golden-State-Warriors-guard-Stephen-Curry-right-greet-each-other.jpg"><figcaption>© Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Lakers and Warriors currently have similar records, with Golden State sitting at 15-13. James and Curry’s rivalry spans years, including four NBA Finals matchups, a Western Conference semifinal series, and an NBA Play-In game. This year’s Christmas clash will mark the fourth time the two superstars have faced off on the holiday. James holds a 2-1 advantage in their Christmas Day games, with their most recent meeting occurring in 2018 when the Lakers secured a win.</p><p>Anthony Davis, who contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Pistons, also weighed in on the upcoming game. Davis highlighted the challenge of facing former teammate <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-dennis-schroder-reveals-shocked-reaction-nets-trade">Dennis Schroder, who was recently traded to the Warriors from the Brooklyn Nets</a>. Schroder, who played for the Lakers during the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons, played a key role in their 2023 Western Conference Finals run, providing steady playmaking and defensive effort.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anthony Davis notes the Warriors’ addition of former Lakers guard Dennis Schroder as something to factor into heading into Christmas Day: <a href="https://t.co/r8kIdLpnUx">pic.twitter.com/r8kIdLpnUx</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1871453615157858792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“We always have battles with them,” Davis said. “We’ve seen them in the playoffs a couple of years. They add Dennis to their team and it’s a good pickup for them. So it’s going to be fun to go up into the Bay and try to get a win.”</p><p>The matchup between James and Curry has long been a centerpiece of NBA competition. Both players have defined an era of basketball through their respective championship runs and numerous iconic performances. The Christmas Day game at Chase Center in San Francisco promises to deliver another chapter in their storied rivalry.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James hypes Christmas matchup vs. Steph Curry with sobering take

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-passes-derek-fisher-inches-closer-kobe-bryant-all-time-list');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James passes Derek Fisher, inches closer to Kobe Bryant on Lakers list');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-passes-Derek-Fisher-inches-closer-to-Kobe-Bryant-on-all-time-LA-list.jpg"></figure><h1>LeBron James passes Derek Fisher, inches closer to Kobe Bryant on Lakers list</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T08:22:50-08:00">December 24th, 8:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T14:18:35-08:00">December 24th, 2:18pm</time><address><a>Jason Patt</a>Jason Patt started as an editor at ClutchPoints in 2018 and became the head of the editorial team in 2022. He also co-hosts Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Podcast for the Blue Wire Network.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James moved past Derek Fisher into No. 2 on the franchise’s all-time 3-pointers made list with a first-quarter triple against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. LeBron now only trails Kobe Bryant <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/who-has-the-most-threes-in-lakers-history" rel="noopener">on the list</a>, who still has nearly 1,000 more 3-pointers made in a Lakers uniform.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James finds his spot for the triple 🎯</p><p>He is now 2nd place on the Lakers franchise for 3-pointers made.<a href="https://t.co/crGSv3KbCF">pic.twitter.com/crGSv3KbCF</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1871405229230760227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>James has now hit 848 triples during his Lakers tenure with Fisher sitting at 846 and Bryant at 1,827. Unfortunately for LeBron and the Lakers, they needed him to be at 849 in order to have a chance to beat the Pistons.</p><p>Los Angeles tried to stage a late comeback from 11 points down in the final minutes and had a chance to tie the game on the final possession. James broke free for a great look from deep, but the shot clanged off the rim, and Detroit pulled out a 117-114 win.</p><p>The missed game-tying 3-pointer spoiled a terrific all-around performance from LeBron. The soon-to-be 40-year-old recorded his eighth triple-double of the season with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists while shooting 10-of-16 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range.</p><p>But it wasn’t enough. The Lakers shot 54.1% overall and 14-of-30 from 3-point range as a team, but 20 total turnovers led to 28 Pistons points. Los Angeles dropped to 16-13 on the season and snapped a three-game losing streak.</p><h2><b>LeBron James’ evolution as a 3-point shooter</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-LeBron-James-celebrating.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>LeBron James wasn’t known as a 3-point shooter early in his career, but he has developed that shot over the years. Last season, he shot a career-best 41.0% from deep on 5.1 attempts per game. It was only the second time in his career in which he hit the 40% mark on 3-pointers.</p><p>That career-best mark coincided with a lowering of his 3-point volume. He reached a peak of 8.0 3-pointers per game in 2021-22  and then took 6.9 per game in 2022-23, making only 32.1% of those attempts.</p><p>James hasn’t been as successful on 3-pointers this season, making a respectable 35.3% on 5.7 attempts per game. For his career, he’s a 34.8% 3-point shooter and is at 35.7% as a Laker.</p><p>It’s somewhat ironic that LeBron just accomplished this feat after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-complains-about-3s-in-nba">airing his grievances</a> over the amount of 3-pointers in today’s game. He has played into it with his own 3-point volume, but even if he doesn’t like it, he knows how important the shot is and will continue to take them.</p><p>James obviously won’t catch Kobe’s Lakers 3-point record, but he should be able to get to 1,000 down the road.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James passes Derek Fisher, inches closer to Kobe Bryant on Lakers list

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-responds-lebron-james-3-point-criticisms-unique-take');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins responds to LeBron James’ 3-point criticisms with unique take');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grizzlies-news-Taylor-Jenkins-responds-to-LeBron-James-3-point-criticisms-with-unique-take.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins responds to LeBron James’ 3-point criticisms with unique take</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T17:29:21-08:00">December 23rd, 5:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T17:29:21-08:00">December 23rd, 5:29pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Fans and media personalities have spent too many hours trying to pinpoint exactly why NBA television broadcast ratings are declining. Even stars on the level of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-complains-about-3s-in-nba">LeBron James have shared varying opinions</a> on playstyles, criticisms of the All-Star Game format, and how to fix the game. However, Taylor Jenkins and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-rubs-salt-warriors-wound-savage-admission">Ja Morant’s extremely salty Memphis Grizzlies</a> are fine going with the flow according to the head coach. Some trends are merely fads, the rest need to become a strength. <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1869892222964900139" rel="noopener">It’s just simple math</a> Jenkins told ClutchPoints.</p><p>“I think that every year I’ve been in this position you’re studying trends and seeing where the league is going,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, it’s a math equation. You’re trying to put more numbers on the board than your opponent. With the advent of the three-point line and this barrage over the last decade-plus, I think the way guys are creating whether it’s off of drive penetration, pick and roll plays, isolation, it’s off the dribble not just catch and shoot, it comes down to the math.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Talking with Taylor Jenkins about NBA trends and LeBron’s comments on 3s before Steph Curry’s new look Warriors visit the Grizzlies:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DubNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DubNation</a>  <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrindCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GrindCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/hZplaylCY9">pic.twitter.com/hZplaylCY9</a></p><p>— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1869892222964900139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The math has been adding up to victories for the Grizzlies (20-9) lately. Memphis has won 12 of their last 14 games despite being <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional?dir=A&amp;sort=FG3A" rel="noopener">12th overall in three-pointers attempted.</a> Traditional standards like getting into the paint, drawing fouls, and winning the rebounding battle have been blending into a recipe for success in the NBA’s new era. That is why, regardless of how LeBron James feels, Jenkins does not plan on changing much over the next 50 games.</p><p>“It’s been a strength of ours, playing in the paint but we know we’ve got to have balance from the three-point line,” admitted Jenkins. “So I’m not saying just don’t take threes or only take threes. We are going to see what the defense gives us.”</p><p>Opponents have been giving up buckets in bundles when facing the new-look Grizzlies. Memphis is zigging into confounding off-ball actions while the NBA zags into more plain-looking pick and rolls. Give Jenkins credit for having the confidence to make drastic changes after last season.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-Marcus-Smart-Grizzlies-Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“Obviously with our change in philosophy this year with less pick and roll and more cutting and movement with some off-ball actions,” began Jenkins, “that was just an opportunity for us to find more competitive advantages with different ways to open up the paint and open up the three-point line for better shot quality which we struggled with (in previous seasons). Everyone is going to go about their different ways. Everyone is going to have their comments on what the trend is but I don’t think the three-point line is going anywhere.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins responds to LeBron James’ 3-point criticisms with unique take

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-anthony-davis-playing-pistons-latest-injury-updates');   ga('set', 'title', 'Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing vs. Pistons? Lakers’ Latest injury updates');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-news-Are-LeBron-James-Anthony-Davis-playing-vs.-Pistons-Latest-injury-updates.jpg"></figure><h1>Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing vs. Pistons? Lakers’ Latest injury updates</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T09:03:07-08:00">December 23rd, 9:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T09:03:07-08:00">December 23rd, 9:03am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Detroit Pistons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers host the Detriot Pistons on Monday night. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-anthony-davis-status-pistons-la-injury-report">LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the injury report</a>. Both Lakers players are listed as <a href="https://official.nba.com/nba-injury-report-2024-25-season/" rel="noopener">questionable</a>. James is dealing with a left foot injury, while Davis has a left shoulder contusion after going for 10 points and 15 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings. James finished with 32 points and seven rebounds. <i>Here’s everything we know about LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ injuries and their playing status vs. the Pistons.</i></p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>LeBron James injury status vs. Pistons</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-superstar-LeBron-James-next-to-Lakers-All-Star-Anthony-Davis.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Given LeBron James’s questionable injury report, the initial assumption is that he will suit against the Pistons. LeBron and AD are leading the Lakers with a 16-12 record, which is sixth in the Western Conference standings.</p><p>This is another opportunity to add a W in the win column. Perhaps the Lakers will clear James for Monday’s game to build off their three-game winning streak despite going 5-5 in their last ten outings. Davis wasn’t as sharp as LeBron. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-mic-catches-lebron-james-shutting-down-kings-fan-nsfw-diss">James is coming off of his 32-point performance</a> against the Kings.</p><p>However, Davis has dominated since the start of the Lakers’ winning streak. He continued his streak of six consecutive double-doubles, starting with a 40-point, 16-rebound performance in the Lakers’ 116-110 win against the Grizzlies. Then, he nearly went 20/20 (21 points, 19 rebounds) in Los Angeles’ first win against the Kings (113-100) before picking up their second on December 21.</p><p>Meanwhile, James has remained relatively consistent throughout December. In his last seven games, he has averaged 24.9 points on 47% shooting, 8.3 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals. James flirted with a triple-double in the Lakers’ last meeting against the Pistons, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds in a 115-103 loss. Davis scored 37 points and pulled nine rebounds in the same game on November 4.</p><p>Still, regarding James and Davis’ status for Monday’s game, there’s a good chance we’ll see both players in action at the Crypto.com Arena.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing vs. Pistons? Lakers’ Latest injury updates

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-anthony-davis-status-pistons-la-injury-report');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James, Anthony Davis status vs Pistons after appearing on Lakers’ injury report');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_1129.jpeg"></figure><h1>LeBron James, Anthony Davis status vs Pistons after appearing on Lakers’ injury report</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T21:24:22-08:00">December 22nd, 9:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T21:24:22-08:00">December 22nd, 9:24pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers will return home on Monday against the Detroit Pistons following a successful 2-0 mini-road trip against the Sacramento Kings. For a team that has seen <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-la-intriguing-lebron-james-anthony-davis-injury-updates-grizzlies-game">their share of injury concerns</a> this season, the Lakers listed both LeBron James and Anthony Davis <a href="https://x.com/Dave_Yapkowitz/status/1870997668207685716" rel="noopener">on their injury report</a> ahead of their matchup with the Pistons.</p><p>Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis were listed on the Lakers’ injury report as questionable. James has been dealing with a foot issue while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-anthony-davis-exits-kings-game-amid-injury-scare">Davis suffered a brief injury scare</a> against the Kings on Thursday.</p><p>Davis first tweaked his shoulder against the Memphis Grizzlies back on Dec. 15. He exited that game only to return and finish out the win. The same thing happened against the Kings as he ultimately came back into the game.</p><p>James has now played in three straight games since missing two games and being listed with a left foot injury. Both players’ inclusion on the team’s injury report is likely just precautionary. They will both probably be available as the Lakers return home against the Pistons.</p><p>As far as the rest of the injury report, Jaxson Hayes, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt all remain out.</p><h2><b>Lakers on a win streak</b></h2><p>Coming into Monday’s matchup with Detroit, the Lakers have won three straight games. They defeated the Grizzlies at home last weekend in one of their best wins of the season. They then followed that up with back to back solid road wins against the Kings.</p><p>The team’s win streak has coincided with James’ return to the lineup. In the three games <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/lebron-james-stats-in-the-last-3-games" rel="noopener">since he’s been back</a>, he’s averaged 23.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists, as per StatMuse. He’s been shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>He exploded for one of his best games of the season thus far in the Lakers’ most recent win against the Kings on Saturday. He finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.</p><p>The middle of the pack in the Western Conference is so close that with the recent win streak, the Lakers have jumped up into sixth place in the standings after hovering near ninth/tenth. A margin of one and half games is all that separate the No. 5 seed from the No. 11 seed.</p><p>The Lakers are currently 16-12 and have gone 5-5 in their last ten games. It’s going to be an interesting race in the West throughout the rest of the season and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sources-lakers-plans-decimated-center-position-behind-anthony-davis">Lakers reportedly continue to be active in trade talks</a> to upgrade the roster.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James, Anthony Davis status vs Pistons after appearing on Lakers’ injury report

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-ric-flair-shoutout-after-monster-game-vs-kings');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ LeBron James earns Ric Flair shoutout after monster game vs. Kings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-earns-Ric-Flair-shoutout-after-monster-game-vs.-Kings.jpg"></figure><h1>Lakers’ LeBron James earns Ric Flair shoutout after monster game vs. Kings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T10:23:19-08:00">December 22nd, 10:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T10:23:19-08:00">December 22nd, 10:23am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Saturday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their third straight win with a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-anthony-davis-wife-roasted-him-nearly-blowing-kings-game">narrow road victory over the Sacramento Kings</a>. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-stunning-performance-40th-birthday-fans-buzzing">LeBron James was excellent</a> in this one, scoring 23 of his 32 points in the first half as he approaches the age of 40.</p><p>It was the Lakers’ second straight road victory vs the Kings, pushing their record to 3-0 against the team that went 4-0 against them last regular season.</p><p>In fact, so special was James performance that legendary WWE superstar Ric Flair took to his account on X, formerly Twitter, after the game to share <a href="https://x.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1870877097255649328" rel="noopener">what appeared to be</a> an AI generated video of LeBron James as himself in the ring.</p><p>https://x.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1870877097255649328</p><p>“Can Relate! WOOOOO! 32 Points, 7 Rebounds, And 6 Assists Last Night!” wrote Flair, referencing his iconic catchphrase.</p><p>James indeed looked like the best player on the floor against the Kings on Saturday, helping the Lakers overcome a relatively quiet game from Anthony Davis and the rest of the supporting cast in what was a low scoring affair, finishing 103-99.</p><h2><b>Have the Lakers turned a corner?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-vs-the-Kings.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The win over the Kings marked the third straight victory for the Lakers, including another one vs Sacramento on Thursday and an impressive performance vs the Memphis Grizzlies earlier in the week.</p><p>The Lakers’ defense appears to have stabilized a bit after a tough start to the year, with head coach JJ Redick’s insertion of Max Christie into the starting lineup paying dividends on that end of the floor.</p><p>Los Angeles currently sits in seventh place in the vaunted Western Conference playoff picture after dropping as low as ninth earlier in the year, and James’ week-long absence from the Lakers, during which the team went 1-1, appears to have helped give him a jolt of energy.</p><p>Still, the recent success hasn’t stopped trade rumors from swirling around the team, ranging from everyone from D’Angelo Russell and other complementary pieces to LeBron James himself. Many Lakers fans were underwhelmed this past offseason when Rob Pelinka and company opted to bring back essentially the same exact team that was gentleman’s swept in the first round last year by the Denver Nuggets.</p><p>However, if they continue their current streak of success, the Lakers could look to become more aggressive in adding to their roster as the trade deadline approaches.</p><p>In any case, up next for the Lakers is a home game vs the Detroit Pistons on Monday evening from the Crypto.com Arena.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ LeBron James earns Ric Flair shoutout after monster game vs. Kings

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/colorado-football-news-travis-hunter-shedeur-sanders-lebron-james-dwyane-wade-dunk');   ga('set', 'title', 'Colorado football’s Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders recreate LeBron James, Dwyane Wade dunk');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Shedeur-Sanders-and-Travis-Hunter.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Colorado football’s Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders recreate LeBron James, Dwyane Wade dunk</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T09:37:25-08:00">December 22nd, 9:37am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T18:25:23-08:00">December 22nd, 6:25pm</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NCAA Football</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As Colorado football gears up for the Alamo Bowl, the team’s two most valuable players took some time to capture and remake one of the <a href="https://x.com/CUBuffsFootball/status/1870574903155740856" rel="noopener">greatest sports photos in history</a>.</p><p>LeBron James and Dwyane Wade would likely approve. The two-time NBA Finals championship duo for the Miami Heat were cornerstones of their team, just as Hunter and Sanders have led the Buffaloes for two seasons. Colorado football honored their two best players during a ceremony on Saturday.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="in">L E G E N D A R Y <a href="https://t.co/5Eq8tMLO64">pic.twitter.com/5Eq8tMLO64</a></p><p>— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/CUBuffsFootball/status/1870574903155740856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders Last Dance for Colorado football</b></h2><p>It was announced that Hunter and Sanders will play one final game for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/colorado-football-news-deion-sanders-bold-shedeur-sanders-nfl-draft-prediction">Colorado football before they depart for the NFL</a>. As many players (transfers and draft prospects) typically opt out of their program’s bowl game, many pundits believed that the dynamic duo wouldn’t suit up again in college. Head coach Deion Sanders <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42626731/coach-deion-sanders-expects-colorado-stars-play-bowl" rel="noopener">stated otherwise</a> at the end of November.</p><p>“No, it’s not the last time you’re going to see them in a Buffs uniform,” Sanders said. “These two and all the rest of the seniors have done a wonderful job of getting us to where we are, instilling so much expectation in our fan base and expectation in ourselves.</p><p>“So, we’re going to fight and try to go out there and kick some butt and end this thing on the right note. And we are going to go to a bowl game in this thing on the right note because our fans deserve the absolute best.”</p><p>Sanders and Hunter’s friendship will likely continue, even as pros next year. Both are projected top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft in April.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Colorado football’s Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders recreate LeBron James, Dwyane Wade dunk

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-postgame-interview-interrupted-ohio-state-football-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ LeBron James’ postgame interview interrupted by Ohio State football game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0-LeBron-James-postgame-interview-interrupted-by-Ohio-State-football-game-0.jpg"></figure><h1>Lakers’ LeBron James’ postgame interview interrupted by Ohio State football game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T09:20:04-08:00">December 22nd, 9:20am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T09:20:04-08:00">December 22nd, 9:20am</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LeBron James had more important things to do than conduct his postgame interview on Saturday night. After the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-anthony-davis-wife-roasted-him-nearly-blowing-kings-game">Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-99 win</a> over the Sacramento Kings, reporters struggled to get James’ attention in the locker room as he instead turned his focus to the Ohio State-Tennessee College Football Playoff game.</p><p>James, a known Ohio State fan, apologized for his distraction while <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1870652375763182066" rel="noopener">clapping along</a> to the game. When asked about his minutes in the game, James cheered as Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson found the end zone.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James multi-tasks between discussing the Lakers win and rooting for Ohio State’s CFP matchup postgame in SAC <a href="https://t.co/0ux1IPY3sT">pic.twitter.com/0ux1IPY3sT</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1870652375763182066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><p>The touchdown James watched with reporters was the Buckeyes’ third of the game, opening a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. After Henderson’s score, James leaned back to inform teammate and Tennessee alum Dalton Knecht of the score. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ohio-state-football-news-ryan-day-reveals-moment-buckeyes-beat-tennessee">Ohio State would go on to win the game</a> 42-17 and advance to the second round of the College Football Playoffs.</p><p>After beating Tennessee, Ohio State will advance to face Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. The game will be a rematch of their Week 7 meeting that the Ducks won by a single point. Oregon has not played since beating Penn State in the Big 10 Championship Game on Dec. 7.</p><h2><b>Lakers’ LeBron James’ Ohio State fandom</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James-1.jpg"><figcaption>Joe Maiorana-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While his support for professional teams often shifts, James has been loyal to Ohio State for his entire life. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, James has always been a fan. He has gone on the record to say that had he attended college instead of declaring for the 2003 NBA Draft, he would have been a Buckeye.</p><p>In return, Ohio State has consistently accepted James into its community. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is a frequent VIP guest at football games and is considered one of the school’s most iconic supporters.</p><p>Now living in Los Angeles, James does not attend Ohio State games as frequently as he previously did. ‘The King’ saw the most Buckeye games when he lived in Cleveland during his two separate stints with the Cavaliers.</p><p>However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/inside-the-3-mansions-lebron-james-owns-with-photos">James still owns a property in Ohio</a>, which he regularly visits in the offseason. Unfortunately, the NBA offseason coincides with the college football offseason, preventing him from actively supporting his favorite college team during that time.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ LeBron James’ postgame interview interrupted by Ohio State football game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-lebron-james-stunning-performance-40th-birthday-fans-buzzing');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James’ stunning performance days before 40th birthday has fans buzzing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_1120.jpeg"></figure><h1>LeBron James’ stunning performance days before 40th birthday has fans buzzing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T19:14:36-08:00">December 21st, 7:14pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T19:14:36-08:00">December 21st, 7:14pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There are few players who can <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-age-defying-stat-line-vs-grizzlies-lakers-fans-buzzing">get social media buzzing like Los Angeles Lakers’ star LeBron James</a> after a huge performance. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened following the Lakers’ 103-99 win against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.</p><p>Social media lit up after LeBron James’ stellar performance during the Lakers’ win against the Kings as he finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals just about one week <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1870642286935351645" rel="noopener">before his 40th birthday</a>, as per StatMuse.</p><p>Fans took to social media to express their amazement at James’ sustained level of excellence on the court despite his age. James became the oldest player to put up those numbers, eclipsing himself as the second oldest player <a href="https://x.com/JoshEberley/status/1870640998889759080" rel="noopener">to reach those numbers</a> as he did when he was 37, as per Josh Eberley of HOOP Magazine and NBA Canada.</p><h2><b>LeBron James’ longevity, role with Lakers</b></h2><p>The Lakers’ game against the Kings on Saturday was only the third game <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-gets-worrisome-foot-injury-update">James has played in since returning from a foot injury</a>. He missed two games before making his return against the Memphis Grizzlies last weekend. During that game, James played 34 minutes and put up 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.</p><p>Against the Kings earlier this week, James had 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one blocked shot in another Lakers’ win. But this most recent performance was his best yet since returning to the lineup.</p><p>Prior to last weekend’s game against the Grizzlies, Lakers head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-longevity-blunt-jj-redick-take">JJ Redick spoke about James’ longevity</a> and what the current plan was in terms of his game management going forward. James will turn 40 years old on Dec. 30.</p><p>This past offseason, James chose to use his player option and opt out of his current contract with the Lakers, to sign a two-year contract extension that has another player option after this season. He also has a no-trade clause in his current deal.</p><p>James has appeared in 25 games leading up to the recent matchup with the Kings, at just about 35 minutes per game. He had been averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 9.0 assists with splits of 48.6 percent shooting from the field, 36.2 percent shooting from the three-point line and 74.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Last season, the Lakers reached the playoffs via the play-in, but were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round in five games. They fired Darvin Ham in the offseason and hired Redick as their new head coach. Following the Lakers brief two-game trip to Sacramento, they are 16-12 and in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James’ stunning performance days before 40th birthday has fans buzzing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-mic-catches-lebron-james-shutting-down-kings-fan-nsfw-diss');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mic catches LeBron James hilariously shutting down Kings fan with NSFW diss');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mic-catches-LeBron-James-hilariously-shutting-down-Kings-fan-with-NSFW-diss.jpg"></figure><h1>Mic catches LeBron James hilariously shutting down Kings fan with NSFW diss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T18:38:39-08:00">December 21st, 6:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T18:43:17-08:00">December 21st, 6:43pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Basketball fans with courtside or close to courtside tickets have the unique privilege of being in earshot of the players, but a Sacramento Kings fan <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-profane-lebron-james-heckler-was-kicked-out-of-game-vs-cavs">abused that privilege with LeBron James</a> on Saturday. As a result, the NBA legend uncharacteristically lost his cool.</p><p>James <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1870632144223027599" rel="noopener">told the fan</a> to “Sip the f**king beer and shut the f**k up” during the second quarter.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Sip the f*cking beer and shut the f*ck up.” </p><p>LeBron James to a Kings fan during the 2nd quarter 😂<a href="https://t.co/ZuYToZmtiQ">pic.twitter.com/ZuYToZmtiQ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1870632144223027599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>While the broadcast mics didn’t catch what the fan said, James’ stern order was heard loud and clear as Kings forward Keegan Murray shot a free throw. The 39-year-old quickly refocused, however, ending the night with 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting with seven rebounds and six assists in the 103-99 Los Angeles Lakers victory.</p><p>James can now add “cursed out a fan during a game” to his long list of accomplishments.</p><h2><b>LeBron James doesn’t miss beat after Lakers sabbatical</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LeBron-James_a0350f.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jokes aside, Saturday’s win was another good chapter in a week of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-breaks-another-kareem-abdul-jabbar-all-time-nba-record">celebration for Los Angeles</a>. The Lakers have won all three games since James returned from a two-game absence on Monday, which happened <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1411317/lebron-james-coach-shares-update-on-nba-stars-involvement-with-los-angeles-lakers" rel="noopener">due to “personal reasons,”</a> via E! Online.</p><p>However, the four-time champion <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/42993504/lakers-lebron-james-try-give-go-vs-grizzlies" rel="noopener">admitted that his sore foot</a> also played a major role in the brief hiatus, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.</p><p>“If it was up to just me, I probably would’ve played,” James said after the 116-110 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. “It would’ve been hard to keep me away from it. I have a team and I got to listen to them as well. They look out for my best interest.”</p><p>James wasted no time breaking more records upon his return, becoming the all-time leader in minutes played during Thursday’s 113-100 win over the Kings. The four-time champion passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and has now accrued 57,481 minutes played across 1,518 games.</p><p>While James’ foot could be a nagging issue as the season rolls along, this recent stretch shows that “The King” can still take care of business when he needs to. Los Angeles now sits fifth in the Western Conference at 16-12, with a home contest against the Detroit Pistons up next on Monday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mic catches LeBron James hilariously shutting down Kings fan with NSFW diss

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-are-lebron-james-anthony-davis-playing-vs-kings-latest-injury-updates');   ga('set', 'title', 'Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing vs. Kings? Latest injury updates');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-news-Are-LeBron-James-Anthony-Davis-playing-vs.-Kings-Latest-injury-updates.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing vs. Kings? Latest injury updates</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T09:04:29-08:00">December 21st, 9:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T09:04:29-08:00">December 21st, 9:04am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-reveals-why-kings-win-is-favorite-of-season"> Los Angeles Lakers (15-12) are preparing for a rematch against the Sacramento Kings</a> (13-15) on Saturday night, aiming to extend their two-game winning streak. However, the availability of their superstars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, remains uncertain.</p><p>The Lakers have <a href="https://official.nba.com/nba-injury-report-2024-25-season/" rel="noopener">listed</a> both LeBron James and Anthony Davis as questionable for the game, with James managing a left foot injury and Davis dealing with a left elbow contusion. Their availability will likely be decided closer to tip-off, especially for James, now in his 22nd NBA season.</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>LeBron James, Anthony Davis’ injury status for Lakers vs. Kings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Anthony-Davis-3-and-forward-LeBron-James-23-react-in-the-first-half.jpg"><figcaption>© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>James has been a steady force for the Lakers this season, averaging 22.6 points, 9.0 assists, and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Davis is having an MVP-caliber season, contributing 27.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. Davis has also improved his three-point shooting to 30%, a career-high mark.</p><p>The duo played pivotal roles in the Lakers’ 113-100 victory over the Kings on Thursday. James delivered 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and a block, while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-austin-reaves-25-point-stat-proving-to-be-pivotal">Davis dominated with 21 points, 19 rebounds, six blocks</a>, four assists, and three steals, anchoring the team’s defense.</p><p>The Lakers’ defensive performance has been a cornerstone of their recent success. Over the past five games, they have a defensive rating of 102.5, ranking second in the league behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lead the Western Conference with a 22-5 record. The Lakers also rank seventh in opponent points per game, holding teams to an average of 107.8 points.</p><p>The Lakers also list Rui Hachimura as questionable for Saturday’s game with a left tibial contusion. Hachimura contributed 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in Thursday’s win.</p><p>The Lakers face the Kings on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET, aiming to improve to 3-0 in the season series. The matchup holds importance as the Lakers look to sustain their defensive momentum and climb from their current seventh-place spot in the Western Conference standings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
23.2	8.0	9.0	0.6	0.8

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
23.2	8.0	9.0	0.6	0.8

LeBron James news

LeBron
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